


Merfolk are Overrated

by Justghostingby



Category: Room of Swords (Webcomic)
Genre: Abuse, Bad Parenting, Cultural Differences, Gen, M/M, Nothing Shown, but a selkie shows up and she has a kid, but it caught the disease called plot, do the math, implied partial nudity but nothing shown or discribed, implied rape/nonconsent, mermaid romcom, not to any main characters, seal attack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 49,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justghostingby/pseuds/Justghostingby
Summary: In which Kodya has a fishy problem in the form of three curious mermaids who will not leave him alone.
Relationships: Gyrus Axelei/Kodya Karevic
Comments: 53
Kudos: 112





	1. Something in the Water

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: this chapter contains some implications that may be triggering, including abuse and implied rape.

“Oh you’re back Kodya! Here to buy another net?” Alistair beamed up at him. Kodya felt his eyebrow twitch as he dropped the netting on the store counter.

“You go through these rather fast,” Alistair continued as he began rummaging through for some change. “You’ve got to be the unluckiest fisherman in the whole of Sirensfolly. “Unless,” the shopkeeper gave him a wink, “It’s my pretty face that’s got you coming back?” He beamed up hopefully at Kodya.

“What? No!” Kodya snapped as his hands balled into fists.

“Awww,” he pouted as Kodya picked up the net and began heading to the door. “But then, what is the reason?”

Kodya didn’t answer, instead slamming the door shut as he left. He already looked weird enough for needing a net again so quickly. The last thing he wanted was to explain why and end up looking like a nutcase as well.

He threw the net in the back of his car and got in the driver seat with a huff. Alone in the privacy of his car, he finally allowed himself to respond. “Stupid Mermaids,” he said.

\----------------

Technically, mermaid was not the proper term for them, Siren was. And technically they weren’t even all maids. But, Kodya thought as he pulled up his net to discover the three struggling inside after he'd told them multiple times not go near it, these three really did not deserve to be called by a name that sounded as impressive as Siren.

“Unhand us you foul cretin!” The redhead in the middle cried as she struggled to push herself into a somewhat upright position among the squirming fish. The other two kept still, having both more sense and the good luck to fall in a position that was not upside down.

“I told you to stay away from the net!” Kodya snapped, because really, this wasn’t his fault. “Don’t you have any common sense?”

“Why you…” Red began to struggle faster, anger giving her strength. Her blue tail flopped to her left, smacking her fluffy, pink haired companion in the face. She gave a yelp and something dropped from her mouth.

Kodya’s eyes followed it as Fluffy quickly tried to hide the half eaten fish behind her. “Stop eating the fish!”

“Oh please!” Red snapped. “Even in your greed, you cannot possibly consume all of this food! We have every right to join in on the hunt!”

Kodya pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache oncoming. “I told you! I don’t eat it! I sell it! Other people eat it and then pay me!”

“You did say that!” The final mermaid said, the one who Kodya had really been trying hard not to look at. The green-haired “mermaid” began to push forward against the net, lavender eyes shining. “But you didn’t explain before! Tell me, how do they pay you? Do you receive protection? Other types of fish? How is the exchange rate valued?”

Kodya closed his eyes at the onslaught of questions and wondered how it came to this.

\-------------

The first time Kodya saw them, he did not realize they were anything extraordinary at all. He didn’t believe in such things, and had no time for them besides, no matter what Nephthys tried to convince him of. Really, it should have been her who they met, she did so love these kinds of stories. She would have recognized something was off right away. But she was tucked off in her own bed that foggy, chilly morning, and Kodya had to man the boat alone, as he so often did.

And so when the song began, Kodya’s first thought was, “Is there really a boat that close?” And not, “Oh no! Sirens are trying to kill me!”

 _“Brave heart,”_ the voice sang, _“Who longs for the one of your choice.”_

What was this? Some new pop song he didn’t know? Kodya frowned. Oh no. He thought, please tell me this isn’t a tourist boat.

The song continued, unaware of Kodya’s mounting trepidation. _“Protecting, and yearning, unable to hold,”_ it sang. It didn’t sound like a recording, which was even worse. Drunk tourists were even less likely to remember basic boat safety than normal ones. He strained his eyes and ears through the mist, trying to pick up any signs of the approaching boat. But there were none. Just the quiet lapping of the water against his boat.

 _“Why not use your gifts for those with no voice?”_ Something caught the edge of Kodya’s eyes as the song increased. It looked like a human head, peaking out of the sea. He blinked and two more appeared beside it. What in the world?

 _“And save those who are not so bold?”_ The voice rose in crescendo as the center figure swam towards Kodya’s boat, and he realized it was a woman with bright red hair. Swimming. In the middle of the bay. In a weird blue, plated shirt that looked really heavy. Without a ship nearby. Oh no.

Kodya let out a stream of Russian curse words as he ran to the edge of the boat. “What are you doing out here?? Do you have any idea how far it is from shore?” What were they thinking jumping off a tourist boat to swim? There was no way they could swim back, even if they were Olympians. And where was the boat that left them? He couldn’t see any sign of them.

The red haired woman stopped, a frown on her lips. Her two companions swam close to her, one pink haired and one with green. All three stared at Kodya, heads tilted, as if he were something strange.

They’re drunk. Kodya let out another curse in Russian. That was going to make this so much harder. “Come here!” He waved his hands. “Come out of the water!”

The three heads blinked at the same time, in a manner that was almost uncanny. Then the pink haired one placed a hand on Red’s shoulder, and began to swim forward, opening her mouth.

“Yes that’s it!” Kodya crowed as she began to sing. It was a strange, wordless song, more of a hum than anything else, but as she sang, Kodya got the strangest feeling of hunger niggling in the back of his mind. Like he hadn’t just eaten a nourishing breakfast of cereal and fruit. He shook his head to clear it, and the sensation faded. He had a stupid tourist to rescue. He tied a rope around himself and reached out a flotation device with one arm.

The woman stopped just out of arm’s length. Kodya grit his teeth. “Come on,” he wiggled the flotation device invitingly, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. “You’re almost there.”

The woman stared back at him, a frown on her lips, as if Kodya were a puzzle she couldn’t quite piece together. Kodya gave her a strained smile, trying not to think about how these three people were very likely to die if they did not get in the boat, soon.

“This isn’t working,” The green haired one said, swimming forward towards Kodya. Kodya thought his grasp of language was incredible for someone drunk enough to jump off a tourist boat. “Let me try something.”

“Gyrus!” The red-haired woman cautioned, reaching out a hand towards him. He gave her a smile over his shoulder, before leaning up on the floatation device, arms crossed. “Why do you want us to come out of the water?” he asked, looking up at Kodya with large lavender eyes full of curiosity.

“Because you’ll drown you idiot!” Kodya responded as he grabbed the Kid. He gave a start and tried to struggle, but Kodya ignored it in favor of dragging him upwards into the boat. He was heavier than he looked, and it took all of Kodya’s strength to get him above the water.

“Unhand him!” One of the girls shouted, but Kodya was too busy maneuvering the surprisingly slick body into the boat without capsizing it.

A final sharp tug brought the Kid fully into the boat, where he landed awkwardly on top of Kodya, sending the boat rocking. Kodya hit the deck with a groan of pain as stars began to spin in front of him.

“Are you okay?” a voice came from directly above him. Kodya blinked away stars to capture two lavender orbs directly above his own. Wet green hair flopped around a handsome face that was far too close to Kodya’s for his sanity.

Cheeks burning, Kodya hastily pulled away, while the handsome stranger cocked his head in confusion. “I’m fine,” Kodya coughed into his hand, refusing to look the man in the eyes, or his dripping abs _he has abs for crying out loud that is not fair,_ as he tried to regain his composer. “Now help me rescue your two dumb friends before they die of hypothermia.”

“Hypowhat?” The stranger asked, and that made Kodya look up, ready to give this stupid tourist the lecture of his life, regardless of how pretty he was. His eyes skimmed over something green and iridescent, and stopped.

Kodya felt like his brain was rebooting. There was absolutely no way he was seeing what he was seeing. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

The stranger pulled his huge emerald tail closer to him, scales glinting rainbows even in the foggy morning light. He fiddled with the edge of his yellow tipped fin absently in his hands, half hiding his body behind it. “Something wrong?” he asked Kodya, peaking through thick green lashes.

Kodya screamed.

\---------------

“Are you going to get us down huntsman?” Red’s sharp voice brought him out of his thoughts. Kodya shook his head and gave a deep sigh, shoulders falling.

“The next time you stupid mermaids end up in my net, I’m going to drag you back to land,” he threatened as he took a knife to his newly purchased net. “And stop eating!” he snapped to Fluffy, who lowered a fish guiltily.

“But you haven’t finished explaining why the net is important!” The Kid protested. Kodya took a knife to the thick ropes tying him in with a vicious gusto.

“I need the net to catch the fish. I need the fish to sell for money. I need the money to buy food. because unlike you, I need to eat something more than fish!” He punctuated each sentence by cutting through another knot.

“Wait,” The Kid’s now freed arm reached out to catch Kodya’s jacket. He looked up at his eyes wide with concern. “You aren’t getting enough to eat?” The net shifted between them as Fluffy twisted to look at him too, a matching expression of concern on her own face. Even Red looked slightly guilty.

Kodya looked away, unsure what to do with this sudden change in behavior. “I’m good for now. I’ve got a little money saved up. However,” he added as he returned his attention to the net. “If I can’t make rent because you keep breaking my nets before I get a proper haul, the extra will have to come out of my food budget.” And what a lean time that would be, Kodya didn’t even want to think about it.

The mermaids seem to hold a silent conversation, with the Kid and Fluffy sending big puppy dog eyes at a very disgruntled Red. Finally Red gave in with a sigh, relaxing into the nets. “If ye get us out of this net, I will hunt for ye today,” she told the ground she was facing.

Kodya snorted as he began working on the part of the net that held her prisoner. “You could try.”

“Excuse me?” Red began to struggle again, making it difficult for Kodya to cut her loose. “I am the greatest warrior in our pod, and guard of the Queen herself!” She gestured to her chest, and the strange, armor-like blue plates fastened there.

“It doesn’t matter how good a warrior you are.” Kodya rolled his eyes. “It matters that there’s only one of you.”

Fluffy gave a cry of protest, and when Kodya glanced at her, she was flexing her arm muscles. “Two of you,” he corrected with a sigh. “It still doesn’t matter. I needed the net to haul in the hundreds of fish I was supposed to catch. Even if you work all day, you’ll never bring back anything to match that load.”

“So we just have to bring home something equal to a whole school of fish?” The Kid pipes up, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Sure Kid,” Kodya says as he moves to cut Fluffy’s forest green tail free. “If you can bring me something worth as much as a whole school of fish, it would greatly help me out.” Not that you’ll succeed, he doesn’t add, but at least it will keep you out of my hair for the rest of the day.

The Kid nodded, expression solemn. “Then that’s what we’ll do,” He said as he, Red, and Fluffy pulled free of their restraints. “Besides,” he adds as he glanced back at Kodya with a wide grin. “You’re my human teacher. If humans need exchanges, then I probably owe you a few favors by now.” So saying he dives into the water.

“Wait!” Kodya cried as they jumped over the edge. “Don’t rock the boat! You’ll let out the…fish.” He sighs as the newly freed fish flopped across the entirety of his deck, a few lucky ones managing to flop right off the side. “Well this is a mess,” he said as he ran his fingers through his hair. “What did the Kid mean by human teacher?” he wonders as he begins to deal with the fish.

\-------------

“Please stop screaming!” The green haired mermaid…merboy? Kodya didn’t know what to call a male mermaid…said.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He held his hands up as if to pacify Kodya.

“You’re a fish!” Kodya screeched, feeling far from pacified. He pointed a trembling finger at the emerald tail.

“I’m not a fish,” The male mermaid pouted. “Our biology is completely different! I’m a Siren.” He slapped his chest as if that cleared everything up.

It did not. “I’m dreaming,” Kodya said as he shook his head. “I’m asleep in my bed, and not sitting in my boat with a boy version of the Little Mermaid.” He closed his eyes and willed himself to wake up.

A sharp bang rang through his ears and forced him to open his eyes. The boat rocked back and forth violently, as if something had hit it. Kodya let out another scream as he tried desperately to brace himself so he wouldn’t go over the edge.

“Tori!” the mermaid-man yelled, as he darted over to the side of the boat and leaned over. “Stop that! You’re making him even more scared!”

“He kidnapped ye Gyrus!” a vaguely familiar voice cried, and Kodya could see a red blur off the side of his boat. Kodya wondered vaguely if this was another part of the dream.

“He was trying to save us! He thought we were human and would die of hyposomething.” The mermaid called to his companion, leaning even farther out of the boat. Kodya kept a sharp eye on his back as he pinched himself, trying to see if he could make him disappear.

The boat tilted sharply the other direction, and Kodya froze. Two strong arms appeared on the other side of the boat, followed by a fluffy pink head and a chest covered in a strange grey green top complete with, were those skulls? Kodya watched as she bit her lip and hauled herself upwards over the edge of his boat, collapsing on the deck. The boat began to rock heavily as it adjusted to her additional weight, and Kodya flinched as it knocked him far too close to the gaping ocean.

He looked up to see the Fluffy one grinning, forest green tail waving in the air as if to taunt him. She then proceeded to nose through his as-of-yet-uncast net, nimble fingers bringing it up to her opened jaw.

“Hey!” Kodya yelled, forgetting in his outrage that he was dreaming. “That’s not food! I need that!” He snatched the ends and pulled it forward, away from her. She made a noise of protest and held fast.

“What is going on up there Gyrus?” The redhead asked.

The green merboy glanced back at Kodya and the Fluffy one, still in the middle of a tug of war over the net. “Sylvia found something that smells of fish, but the human says it’s theirs.”

“She what?” the Red one cried, “Stay put, I’m coming up!” So saying she began to haul herself over the edge. Kodya felt himself slide as the boat tipped for the third time, and gripped the net harder.

The boat began to settle as Red pulled herself properly in, blue tail swishing angrily as she rounded on Kodya. “Unhand that which Sylvia is trying to hunt!” She cried. Beside her the green haired one facepalms.

“Get off my boat!” Kodya cursed. “This is mine!” He gave a sharp tug to the net.

“That wasn’t what I needed you to do Tori.” The green haired one gave an exasperated sigh, then turned to the Fluffy one. “I think you should let go Sylvia. He said it wasn’t food, and that he needs it. Maybe it’s important to him?” He gave her two puppy dog eyes.

The Fluffy one frowned down at the net, then looked up at Kodya. She gave the net one final, sad sniff before letting go. Kodya pulled his net protectively against his chest.

“Finally!” he said as his nostrils filled with the fish smell of the net. That worked surprisingly well. He wondered if it would work again. “Now get out of my dream,” he added hopefully.

The three mermaids did nothing of the sort. Instead all three stared at him like he had said something utterly insane.

“This isn’t a dream,” the green haired one said. “We really are here.” He scooted forward with his arms and tail until he was close to Kodya again. “And we need your help!”

“Gyrus are ye sure?” The Red one cautioned. “This is a great risk.”

“I know what I’m doing Tori,” The green-haired one called over his shoulder, before turning his full attention to Kodya once more. “Please,” he begged. “I need to learn about humans. It’s very important.”

Kodya stared at the wide, pleading face. Finally he looked down and shook his head. “You are asking the wrong guy.” He shrugged as he tried to look anywhere else.

The male mermaid shook his head. “No!” he exclaimed as he grabbed Kodya’s hands to make him look up at him. “You weren’t affected by Tori or Sylvia’s song, but you still tried to save us. You’re perfect!”

Kodya’s ears blazed red. “Perfect” and “you” were not words he was used to hearing in the same sentence. Nephthys might, if he really did her a solid favor, but it felt very different coming from Nephthys than coming from this handsome mermaid-man.

Which he supposed as he looked into the open, honest face, was all the more proof that this wasn’t real. His lips twisted into a sad smile. “You really are a lovely dream,” he told the mermaid, watching as its face fell at his tone. “But you’ll be gone by sunrise.”

The male mermaid bit his lip. “So if I am here by sunrise, you’ll teach me?” He asked, voice hopeful.

“You won’t be,” Kodya reassured the little mermaid, and wow, that pout made him look like a kid. “But sure,” he added to make him smile again.

“It’s a deal!” the merboy says, before diving into the water. His two female companions follow him, and Kodya is left alone, floating in an empty boat.

\---------------

Oh right. That’s how he got himself in this situation. Kodya cursed to himself. But in his defense, how was he supposed to realize a half remembered dream was actually true? He’d nearly lost his mind when the mermaids had shown up again the next day in broad daylight, eagerly demanding he explain human things to them. Kodya had tried to back out of it, but they remained stubbornly by his side, breaking his nets and following him around until he cracked and told them something.

And speaking of mermaids, where had those three gotten off to? They usually never left him alone for this long before one of them popped up to bother him over something. Not that Kodya cared, just that the longer they were gone, the more trouble they would bring back with them.

Yes. That was the reason and nothing more. Kodya crossed his arms and stared out at the ocean, vast and blue. It seemed emptier than before.


	2. The Sharks Among Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mermaids bring back a surprise for Kodya

A brief flash of green caught Kodya’s eye as he stared out at the sea. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun and get a better look, but it was gone again.

He blinked, and it appeared again a little closer, before vanishing once more. Was that the Kid? What was he doing? Kodya thought as he strained his eyes to see clearer. Gyrus popped up and down a few more times, getting closer for each one.

“What are you doing?” Kodya asked as the Kid finally popped up beside the boat.

The Kid grinned. “We’ve got your catch!” he said, before diving back under. Kodya raised an eyebrow as he leaned over the edge to try and see what it was that they had.

Only to jump backwards as a great white shark reared its ugly head. Kodya cursed, grabbing his knife, what it would do against a great white was beyond him, but the feel of the smooth wood made him feel more secure. Then again, he was in a boat, but… “Kid!” he cried. Fear gripped his heart as he stumbled back towards the edge, wild ideas of tossing Gyrus the knife running through his brain.

“Yes?” The Kid popped up, eyes twinkling. Kodya stopped, off put by how relaxed he was.

“There’s a shark,” he said, a note of urgency in his voice.

“Yes!” The Kid beamed, “Although it’s kind of heavy,” he added as he strained his muscles to pull the massive sharks head back up above the water. “Tori and Sylvia are keeping it up from below.”

“What?” Kodya gaped at him. “You killed a great white? You?”

“He did not!” Red’s head popped up by the tail, barely above water as she struggled to lift it up. “I killed this great fish, which should be more than equal what you would have caught with the broken net.”

Kodya pinched the bridge of his nose and held back a sigh. “This is impressive.” He admitted. “But it’s a shark. The people I sell to want fish like tuna.”

“Are ye telling me that a fish this grand is useless?!” Red shrieked and promptly slipped back under water for a few seconds as the weight of the tail forced her down. The Kid winced.

“No, no,” Kodya shook his head. “I can sell it to Ailstair, he’ll buy anything.” He reached out and grabbed a rope with a hook on the end. “It just means I’ll have to haggle, and probably get less than it’s worth.”

“It seems ye do not appreciate the exchange,” Red grumbled as she surfaced once more.

Kodya sighed. “Thank you for the shark,” he said as he knelt down by the shark’s mouth. “Now hold it steady while I get this hook in.”

“You aren’t going to put it on the boat?” The Kid asked as he maneuvered the shark to the side so he could watch Kodya stick the hook in the shark’s mouth.

“I couldn’t get this up without a net if I tried,” Kodya explained as he tried to avoid the sharp teeth. “But the hook should drag it along until I get to the docks.”

“Fascinating!” the Kid said.

\---------------

“A great white shark? You caught a great white?” Alistair said, rubbing his small hands together. Kodya rolled his eyes at the barely contained eagerness in his voice. Clearly the shark was worth more than he thought.

“Yes, but my usual buyer doesn’t want it. You gonna take it or not?” he asked.

Alistair started, then gave Kodya a shrewd look. “I’ll need to see it first,” he said.

Kodya gave a shrug. “Come on then,” he waved a hand as he turned back to his car. “I’ll show you.”

It didn’t take very long to get Alistair to the dock, but Kodya was very glad to get out of the car. Alistair seemed to take far too much glee in being inside it with Kodya, and it was beginning to weird him out a little bit. He led Alistair down the dock to where his own little boat sat, the great white shark still hanging off the edge.

“Where is it?” Alistair asked, looking back and forth at the seemingly empty ocean.

“Just a second,” Kodya knelt down in his boat, and began to twist the crank, dragging the great white’s head up above the surface. Kodya stopped to catch his breath and glanced back at Alistair.

Alistair wasn’t looking at him, instead gaping at the shark. “He’s certainly a sight to see,” he said as he placed a hand on his chin. “But it will be difficult to remove him from the water.”

“If you don’t want him…” Kodya gave his most nonchalant shrug, as if he knew someone else who would buy the shark. 

“No, no,” Alistair shook his head. “I’ll take him for sure. How's $1000?”

Kodya’s eyebrows rose. If that was Alistair’s starting price, then the shark was more valuable than he thought. “$2000,” he said.

And so the haggling began, until Kodya walked out with $1,749.99, and the sneaking suspicion he’d been taken advantage of. Alistair certainly seemed far too happy as he called in some of his workers to haul the great shark away.

“Your pay,” Alistair opened his wallet, and pulled out exactly $1,749.99, down to the last penny. Kodya got the dollars safely into his own wallet, but the pennys proved to be harder to hold, slipping through his rough fingers and onto the dock below. Kodya sighed with exasperation and knelt down to collect as many as he could before they slipped through the cracks.

Two lavender eyes peaked up at him from between the cracks. Kodya gave a start, knocking a particularly bright penny through the crack. He glanced up at Alistair, who was watching him with a strange look in his eyes. Had he seen him?

“You still owe me 99 cents,” Kodya tried to keep his voice casual as he shifted his body to shield the eyes from Alistair’s line of sight. The ploy worked, as Alistair’s face twisted into one of comical alarm at the prospect of losing more money, even if it was only 99 cents.

“Oh no! I’m afraid it was yours when you took it from my hands!” Alistair tried to bluster. Kodya raised an eyebrow at him, and Alistair wrung his hands together under his patented stare.

“How about this?” he offered. “I’ll give you back one of the shark's teeth, with a hole for a necklace thrown in! What do you say?”

Kodya frowned, pretending to consider, as he silently tried to will the Kid to take the distraction as an opportunity to get out of there. Alistair took his silence for disinterest and added, “A shark’s tooth is an excellent gift for a friend or a loved one, especially with the story of how you got it.”

“I doubt it's Nephthys’s style,” Kodya shrugged. “And I haven’t exactly got a lover now have I?”

“So what you mean to tell me is that a handsome stud like you is single?” Alistair’s eyes lit up, and Kodya groaned. You better appreciate this Kid, he thought to himself.

\-----------------

Kodya was in his boat early the next morning when he saw the Kid again. He came alone this time, or at least he seemed to be alone. The other two were likely lurking nearby, or hunting the fish near Kodya’s nets.

Kodya scowled as the Kid perched on the edge of his boat, wearing his signature wide smile. “That was really stupid Kid,” he said by way of greeting. “If anyone had seen you hiding under the dock, everyone from fishermen to marine biologists to government agents would be out in the water looking for you!”

“I was careful!” Gyrus flicked a bit of water off the ocean’s surface with his tail. “You wouldn’t have noticed me at all if you hadn’t dropped that money! And you didn’t even see Tori and Sylvia!”

“They were there to?!” Kodya ran a frustrated hand through his hair and swore in Russian. “You idiots! You need to be more careful!”

“Tori and Sylvia can handle one other human,” The Kid shrugged. “They’d just sing and make him forget he ever saw us.”

“Right, because that worked so well before,” Kodya rolled his eyes.

“Hey!” The Kid bristled. “Tori and Sylvia are great Singers! Just because you’re an exception to the rule doesn’t mean they can’t enthrall most humans!”

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Kodya grumbled, then added. “What were you doing there anyways?”

The Kid crossed his arms. “I wanted to see how your money worked. But it didn’t make any sense. He said he’d give you 1,749.99, which sounds like a lot. But all he gave you was a few pieces of seaweed and those strange objects you dropped down on me.”

“Okay first off,” Kodya raised his pointer finger. “They aren’t seaweed. They’re dollars which are made of paper, not seaweed.” The Kid opened his mouth to protest but Kodya cut him off. “I know what it looks like but it’s just something that’s made on the shore. Second off,” he raised his second finger. “the dollars have different values depending on the numbers printed on them, so yes, he did give me the correct amount, except the cents, which I dropped on you. And third off,” he pointed both fingers directly at the Kid, “the next time you have a question like that, ask me! Don’t go wandering so close to the shore!”

“You know you and Tori really have a lot more in common than you think,” The Kid grumbled to himself. “What with how much you both don’t trust the people on the shore.”

Kodya’s eyebrow twitched, and the Kid hastily continued. “But that’s not what I wanted to show you. He held out his hand, palm up, to reveal the coins from yesterday mixed in with some sea glass. “I couldn’t find it all,” he admitted shyly. “But I found a lot of sea glass, and it looks just as shiny as the money you had, so I thought it might make a decent replacement?” He glanced at Kodya hopefully.

Kodya took the coins gingerly back from him, trying not to notice how warm his palm felt when their fingers brushed. “It’s fine,” he told the Kid gruffly, tucking the sea glass and coins in his pocket. “Coins aren’t really worth much anyways.”

“So it’s a good exchange?” The Kid asked.

Kodya shrugged. “It works for me. Although I wouldn’t try it on any other humans. Some might love it, others, like Alistiar, will probably want their money back.”

“Oh,” Gyrus looked down, a slight frown on his lips. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand how human trade works.”

“Why do you want to learn so much about humans anyway?” Kodya asked, curiosity peaked. “It’s not like you’ve got any plans to go out and meet them.”

The Kid fiddled with his wrist, before admitting quietly. “Because I can’t sing.”

Kodya blinked. The way the Kid’s shoulders were slumped suggested he had confessed something shameful, but Kodya couldn’t for the life of him figure out why it mattered. “And I can’t draw worth beans,” he said lightly. “I don’t see what it has to do with learning about humans.”

“It has everything to do with learning about humans!” The Kid exclaimed, bringing his tail down with a splash. “Every Siren is supposed to be able to enthrall at least a few humans with their songs! It’s how we’ve survived this long!”

Enthrall humans?, Survive? Kodya still didn’t get what singing had to do with that. Unless…An old myth about Sirens that Nephthys had told him tickled in the back of his mind, so much darker than the disneyfied versions he’d known as a child.

“Wait a minute!” Kodya took a step backwards. “When Red and Fluffy were singing when we first met. They were trying to _Drown Me?”_

“No!” Gyrus shook his head wildly. “We don’t drown anybody! No one’s tried to drown a human in centuries!”

“Then what were you trying to do?” Kodya said, crossing his arms as his brow furrowed. He found the words “in centuries,” far less reassuring than the Kid likely thought it was.

“They were trying to get you to take an interest in environmentalism,” The Kid scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Environmentalism?!” Kodya exclaimed, disbelief coloring his voice.

“Yes,” The kid nodded his head so fast Kodya thought it would come clean off, and pulled himself forward until he was half in the boat. “We use our thrall to instill humans with the desire to take care of the ocean, so that they don’t pollute our homes.”

“Sirens are the reason for ocean activists,” Kodya stated, feeling like the world had tilted just slightly to the left.

“Not all activists!” Gyrus protested. “There are plenty out there who care without us having to tell them. And there are other things we use our thralls for, like making humans forget they saw us, and moving their ships so they don’t come into our hunting grounds, but yeah, a lot of that is because of us.”

“You were trying to hypnotise me into becoming an ocean activist?!” Kodya ran a hand through his hair. “Am I going to stop using straws now to save the turtles?”

“No, no!” Gyrus shook his head. “Although you probably should still stop,” he added. “It’s really bad for them.” Kodya glared at him. “But you won’t start because of us! Since neither Tori nor Sylvia could get you under their thrall.”

“They better not have,” Kodya scowled. Then he frowned. “But why didn’t they?” It wasn’t like Red to spare him, especially considering how initially hostile she’d been.

“They tried,” Gyrus fiddled with the edge of the net. “They’re actually both really good at singing, it's been ages since they met a human who wasn’t at least enthralled by one of their songs, but I guess your desires just didn’t match up enough, so it didn’t work.”

“Excuse me?” Kodya felt his cheeks warm. “My desires are none of your business.”

“Huh?” The Kid frowned at him, like he couldn’t comprehend why Kodya looked so uncomfortable. “Of course they are. That’s how singing works. We sing about something most humans desire.”

“So you’re telling me,” Kodya pinched the bridge of his nose, “That the song didn’t work because I’m not attracted to women?”

“Oh!” Gyrus’s cheeks flamed red. “NO!” he waved his hands in the air in denial. “Not those desires! Although there’s probably a few sirens who do use that desire,” he scratched the back of his neck, “but not us! We go for something more universal.”

“Like what?” Kodya raised an eyebrow.

“Well,” Gyrus figited under Kodya’s gaze. “Sylvia appeals to hunger, and uses that to influence them into considering the hunger of the creatures of the ocean. And Tori,-“ he glanced down at the deck with a faint blush, “-Tori appeals to the desire to protect the ones you love, especially if that love isn’t requilted.”

“So I looked like a hungry loser whose lover didn’t want them, is that it?” Kodya scowled. Gyrus blanched.

“I mean, Tori’s really good at picking out people like that, and you were all alone in the boat.” He twiddled his fingers.

“I can’t believe this,” Kodya threw up his arms as he turned away.

“Wait!” Gyrus cried out, hand extended towards him, but Kodya ignored it as he moved towards the steering wheel of his boat. “Wait please! I still need your help!” he said.

“Why don’t you just go find your friends and learn all about finding hopeless losers?” he grumbled as he reached for the engine key.

“I tried that!” There was a thump behind him, and when Kodya turned he realized the Kid had pulled himself into the back of the boat. He straightened up, shooting Kodya a desperate look. “Please,” he said again.

Kodya let out a long sigh. “Why is it so important to you anyways?” He said as he leaned against the steering wheel. “So you can’t sing. But your friends seem to have it pretty well covered. Just go be a hunter or a poet or whatever else it is you mermaids do.”

“It’s because my hair is green,” Gyrus’s emerald tail pulled tight around him. “Green haired Sirens are supposed to have the most powerful songs of all, and protect the whole pod with their voices. My mother, my grandfather, every one of my ancestors has protected our pod for generations. And here I am, unable to thrall a single human.”

Ok, Kodya could kind of understand that. Not the singing part. But impressive family legacies you thought you could never fulfill? He got that. Even if his mother insisted it didn’t matter at all if Kodya couldn’t follow her into government office, he could relate to how hopeless Gyrus must feel, living in a shadow like that.

“So what do you need me for?” he asked. Gyrus’s head snapped up, clearly not expecting him to get over it so quickly. Kodya raised an eyebrow at him.

“I really do need you to teach me about humans.” Gyrus said as his yellow tipped fin twitched. “I don’t understand their desires, and neither Tori nor Sylvia have been able to teach me how. So I thought, why not ask a human? And since you were so kind earlier, and neither song worked on you, you just seemed perfect. If I can find what you want, I can figure out some part of human desires that the others don’t know.”

“So you’re going to sing me into being an ocean activist when you figure out what I want?” Kodya asked, because he wasn’t just going to forget the mind control part of this.

“Not necessarily,” Gyrus twisted his fin. “You don’t really seem to need it. You’re not dumping oil in the ocean, and even if you do take a lot of fish, you don’t take all of it. I’ll probably just make you walk forward or backward or something simple.”

“Good.” Sat down on the edge of the boat. “So let’s try it then.”

Gyrus blinked at him, at a total loss for words. “What?”

“Go on,” Kodya waved a hand. “Do the singing thing.” Gyrus gaped at him, and Kodya sighed. “If we’re going to figure out what you need to correct, we need to figure out where you stand first.”

“That makes sense,” Gyrus nodded, “So do I just begin?” he peaked up at Kodya nervously. Kodya gave a sharp nod, and Gyrus drew in a deep breath and began to sing.

It was terrible. Just terrible. Kodya had his hands over his ears before he’d even gotten to the third note. “You sure you don’t need a miracle worker kid?” he said.

Gyrus frowned. “I told you it was bad. Besides, I haven’t even added any desire into it yet. So of course it’s going to sound terrible.”

“Then do it quickly, before my ears bleed,” Kodya snapped as he lowered his hands. Gyrus took a deep breath, and tried again.

This time the sound was less horrendous, and Kodya found he didn’t have to fight the urge to cover his ears nearly as much as the first time. There was something to it this time, something not quite beautiful, but still eye catching, like the continuous looping weave of a fishing net.

His net, it wasn’t broken anymore was it? It was whole. Loops unbreaking under swarms of fish. He should check that, look at the looping net and see for himself that it was still unbroken. He stood up, and moved towards it, stepping into the water to get down close enough to see for himself.

The strains of music ended with a sharp cry as the water went up over his eyes. He was out of the boat. But how? He didn’t remember leaving it. Panic set in as he struggled to find a way back to the surface, wishing with all his heart that he had ignored that sailors superstition and learned how to swim. It did no good. The surface seemed to grow farther and farther away as his lungs began to fill with water. The last thing he saw before he surrendered to the oncoming blackness was Gyrus’s worried face as he reached out a hand.

\------------------

Kodya gave a sharp gasp as he came into consciousness on something hard and soft. He coughed, instinct driving him to keep doing so until half a lung had come out. He sucked in and filled the newly empty lungs with air, blessed air. Oh air. He would never leave it again.

“You’re alright!” A voice said from above, and Kodya became aware of a gentle weight on his back. He jerked his head upright to see Gyrus crouching beside him, tail stretched out in the sand behind him. Wait, sand?

“Where am I?” Kodya looked wildly about, noting the sand and rocks that were definitely not a part of his boat. “What happened?”

“I’m sorry!” Gyrus’s hand moved to his shoulder, as his red rimmed eyes roamed over Kodya’s form, looking for any injury. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think my song would work when I sang about a desire for unbroken nets, but it did! And you fell into the water and its all my fault!”

“I fell in?” Kodya’s eyes landed on the open and empty sea behind Gyrus. “Where’s my boat?”

“It’s fine!” Gyrus sniffled. “We couldn’t get you back in the boat, so Sylvia and Tori pushed it to shore for you while I dragged you to shore.” He rubbed his eyes, and gave Kodya a small smile. “We didn’t break your net at all! But…” the smile fell off his face.

“But what?” Kodya asked, heart plummeting to his stomach. Gyrus’s tail twitched.

“Sylvia needed to eat to keep up the strength to push your boat,” Gyrus admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck, “So we may have fed her all the fish you’d caught in your net?”

A beat of silence echoed between them before Kodya drew in a breath.

_“You did what?!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of what I wrote on vacation. I have a couple ideas to continue it, but I'm not sure.


	3. The Age of Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kodya learns how very little he knows of mermaids, fails at lying, and begins to teach the first lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back thanks to popular demand

Kodya scowled at the wheel, eyes firmly ahead and not on the bright-colored heads that would occasionally pop out and then duck back under. Call it petty, but he had lost a whole catch of fish to their stomachs, and a whole day to the Kid’s song. He did not want to talk to them right now.

A green head popped up to the left, closer now. Kodya turns his head deliberately to the right until it popped back down again.

“Okay that’s it!” The red-head popped up directly in front of the boat and spread her arms. “Stop ignoring Gyrus after ye promised to help him! Or is the word of humans worth so little?”

Kodya let the motor stop, unwilling to actually run her over. He leaned over the edge and scowled at Red. “I’m doing my job: fishing. So I can make up for the money you guys lost me by eating _all my fish!”_

Red crossed her arms with a huff. “We saved yer boat! That was no easy feat! Ye should be grateful!” And Kodya’s bit his lip, because yes, it probably had been hard to do. But still.

The water had been everywhere, stealing his air as he plummeted into its depths, not knowing which way was up or down. He gripped the steering wheel tighter as the memory washed over him. He’d been completely helpless, and the thought terrified him more than he was willing to admit.

He half wanted to throw that back in Red’s face, pointing out how the Kid had nearly drowned him after explicitly saying he wouldn’t. But that wasn’t fair, his fingers relaxed slightly on the wheel. Gyrus had saved him, and he’d been so apologetic about it. He didn’t want to make him feel guiltier.

“Why do you care if I talk to the Kid or not?” He shot back instead, because even if he wasn’t cruel, he was still pretty angry. “What are you, his mother?”

Red drew back, open shock on her face, and Fluffy winced. Kodya had just enough time to think her reaction seemed way too extreme for such a childish insult before she narrowed her eyes, fire blazing inside them.

“I am the champion of the Queen,” she hissed, steam rising from all around her, “I have protected him since he was an infant!” She brought her tail down on the water with a sharp splash, and the water that hit Kodya burned like fire.

“What?” Kodya exclaimed, bafflement temporarily exceeding pain. “But you’re both the same age!” Kodya knew he wasn’t the best judge of a woman’s age, but even he knew the difference between a woman in her twenties and a woman old enough to be his mother. His eyes roved her youthful face, free of wrinkles and stress. She didn’t look any older than Kodya, in fact if Kodya had been pressed, he’d have thought she was younger.

The mermaids it seemed, disagreed. Fluffy’s mouth hung open at this pronouncement, and even Red seemed to forget her anger to stare at him like he’d grown a second head. “How old do ye think I am, human?” she asked, placing a hand on her chest.

“I don’t know,” Kodya hedged as his entire mind screamed ‘it's a trap!’ Hadn’t his mother and Nephthys always warned him never to guess a ladies age? “...31?” he says hesitantly, quietly adding a decade.

Red’s tail twitched. “I may not remember the exact number, but when I was young you humans did not travel the distances you do now with such ease.” Kodya blinked at her and she sighed. “I suppose if I had to give a number I’d say around 1000.”

Kodya felt his head spin. “That can’t be true,” he muttered as he shook it to try and clear it. “Nothing lives that long.”

“I am actually quite young as far as Siren’s go,” Red sniffs. “The last King was 3000 when he died.”

“3000,” Kodya repeated, still trying to make sense of it all. He gripped the edge of the boat, trying to steady himself. “Is the Kid…?”

“I found sea glass!” the Kid exclaimed, bursting from the water with his prize glittering in his upright hands, and sending Kodya stumbling backwards in shock. “To pay for the fish! You said it worked for you as an exchange?” he adds hopefully as he turns his wide eyes on Kodya’s prone form. “Kodya?” he asked, then turned his attention to Red and Fluffy, “Did I miss something?”

Red crossed her arms, and Kodya quickly turned his attention to the sea glass the Kid held up, desperate to change the subject. “I said I didn’t mind it,” he admitted. “But I doubt my buyers are going to see it the same way.”

“Oh,” Gyrus looked down at the glass in his hands. “You said Alistair wouldn’t want it either.” Kodya shook his head. The Kid frowned. “But you said that there were other humans who would want it though.”

Kodya paused, because he did say that, although he racked his brain to think who exactly would be willing to take it that would actually give him something in exchange. It was pretty, but they’d have to be pretty stupid to want something so superficial, or sell to stupid people.

“Nephthys!” Kodya snapped his fingers. “Nephthys can sell it to the tourists who come by her shop.”

Gyrus’ face lit up. “So it will make up for the fish we ate?” Fluffy looked on hopefully beside him.

“Not even close,” Kodya shook his head and Gyrus and Fluffy’s shoulders slumped. “I’ve still got to keep working all day today to make up for it.”

Fluffy hesitated, then pulled up a fish she had been nibbling on and held it out towards Kodya. Kodya pinched his brow. “That’s not going to help. You guys really aren’t getting exchange rates.”

“Well it's not like you’ve explained!” Red huffed. Kodya scowled.

“You know what? Fine!” Kodya scooped up the sea glass from Gyrus’ hands and carefully placed it in his lunch box. “I’ll teach you.”

“Really?” the Kid exclaimed, eyes shining.

“Absolutely,” Kodya smirked. “Tomorrow.”

\------------------

“Kody!” Nephthys cried as Kodya pushed his way past the beads hanging in the doorway of her shop.

“Hey Neph,” he replied, wrinkling his nose as multiple heavy perfumes hit it all at once. Nephthys always insisted that the scents chosen were designed to relax the people who came by and make them more willing to shop. Kodya supposed it half worked, as he eyed the brightly labeled jars marked with words like “potions” and “good luck.” At least when all the oxygen diverted to their lungs they had less in their brains to see through the obvious hoaxes.

Nephthys bustled around the edge of the counter, purple “witch’s” hat bouncing on her head. “What’s the big occasion?” she winked. “You never come to my shop!”

Kodya shrugged, careful not to knock over any of the little jars in the narrow space. “I’m not big on all that magic stuff, thanks, and besides, way too many tourists visit for my taste.” Mermaids might be real, but Kodya was willing to bet that those magical potions of hers were nothing more than fancy tea and the placebo effect.

“Oh Kody,” Nephthys giggled. “When will you learn that there is more to the world than what you see?” She drew closer and frowned. “Wait a minute, something's different in your aura.” As she leaned into his personal space, hand on her chin, Kodya panicked, wondering if she’d inexplicably guessed about the mermaids.

Then Nephthys’s face broke into a wide grin. Kodya had just enough time to think: _she knows,_ before she let out a high pitched squeal. “You’ve met someone!”

“I have not!” Kodya sputtered, the image of Gyrus’ smiling face flooding his vision. Oh no, he could feel his cheeks heating up. Think of something else, anything else. Red’s angry glare replaced Gyrus’ smile, and all previous warmth snuffed out like a candle doused in ice water.

But it was too late. “Oh Kody,” Nephthys laughs. “You know you can’t lie to me. Besides,” she gave him a wink. “Your aura isn’t nearly as drab as it usually is. You’re not lonely anymore!”

And wow, if that didn’t hit hard. Kodya knew that he wasn’t the most sociable guy, and he knew that even if she never said it, Nephthys worried about him alot. Kodya saw the hope glittering in her eyes and found he couldn’t lie to her. But he couldn’t exactly tell her the truth either. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“They aren’t people,” he started. Nephthys’s smile stiffened, and something in her eyes sharpened.

“What do you mean?” she asked, voice even, perhaps curious, but not at all like the earlier excitement. If Kodya weren’t so worried about how best to explain he’d be concerned.

“They’re dolphins,” Kodya said, as a flash of inspiration hit him.

“Dolphins,” Nephthys repeated, voice flat.

“Yes!” Kodya nodded rapidly. “They started following my boat, helping me fish and just hanging out. You know, like those dolphins they’d talk about on those nature documentaries we used to watch in high school?” He rubbed the back of his neck and hoped she bought it.

Nephthys’s eyes narrow as they search Kodya’s face. For a second Kodya feared she’d seen through his lie, but her face broke into a warm smile. “That’s so CUTE!!!!” She shouts, and Kodya winces from the volume. “Sorry, sorry,” she apologies as she stepped back. “I’m just so happy for you Kody!”

“Yeah well,” Kodya looks down at his feet. “We’ll see how it goes.” They were only sticking around to learn about human values, and if the Kid could already sing Kodya into the water, it probably wouldn’t take too long for him to figure out the rest. Speaking of which…

“Hey Nephthys? Do you still have those old dollars you laminated? For that weird project you did in high school?”

“The Advantages of Waterproof Money! I never understood why it didn’t take off!” Kodya facepalmed as Nephthys smiled. “Why do you ask?”

“I need to buy it from you,” he said as he pulled out his lunch box, unclipping the cover to reveal the sea glass carefully stowed inside. “And I have something to trade.”

“Sea glass!” Nephthys eagerly grabbed a piece and held it to the light. “Look at how smooth it becomes in the ocean water! You know,” she gave Kodya a sly grin. “There’s powerful magic in objects that belong to two worlds.”

“And plenty of tourists that will buy it for far too much when you tell them so,” Kodya grinned back. “How much can I get for it?”

“I’ll give you thirty dollars,” Nephthys offered, and Kodya fought the urge to scold her for paying such an inflated price for something so common. “Plus the laminated money.”

“Done!” Kodya pushed the lunch box towards Nephthys as she rummaged in her register, pulling out thirty dollars, and strangely, the laminated money. Kodya raised an eyebrow, and Nephthys gave a high pitched laugh.

“I just happened to bring it to the shop on accident one day and kept forgetting to put it back,” she explained with a wave of her hand, and Kodya sighed, very familiar with his friend’s forgetfulness.

“This is quite a bit of sea glass,” Nephthys said as she began to put the sea glass into little jars. “When did you find the time to collect it all?”

Kodya shrugged as he absently fingered through the laminated bills, wondering what else he would need to teach Gyrus. “My friend,” he said absently.

“The dolphin?” Now it was Nephthys’ turn to raise an eyebrow.

Oh no. Kodya jumped, nearly dropping the bills in his hands. He fumbled with them as Nephthys starred, in equal parts amused and judgemental. “Yes! Yes, the dolphins. They definitely brought me the sea glass. Yes.” He nodded furiously, and Nephthys’s lips purse like they do when she’d trying to hold back a smile. He scowled at her. “Dolphins are incredibly clever creatures.” He said, remembering the nature documentaries.

“Of course,” Nephthys agreed, amusement coloring her voice. Kodya straightened and turned to walk out the door again, before she put together what's really going on. He almost made it too, but just before the door could close she called out, “Kodya?”

“Yes?” he grunted as he turned back.

“Give your dolphin my love!” She waved, sending him a knowing wink. Love? Kodya couldn’t imagine saying that to anyone, he wasn’t Nephthys, who even after seven years still maintained an ambiguous accent and forigen customs. Although...Gyrus’ face swam in Kodya’s vision once again. If he…? Kodya didn’t let himself finish the thought, shaking his head violently.

“Hehe,” Nephthys giggled and Kodya felt his ears go red.

“Nephthys!”

\------------------

“Alright,” Kodya says as the three mermaids sit awkwardly in his boat. “To start off this lesson, I figured I’d show you the final goal.” He spread the laminated dollars on the deck in front of the three mermaids.

“This is your exchange?” Gyrus asked as he reached out a hand, stopping just shy of contact.

“You can touch it,” Kodya bit back a smile. “It’s covered in plastic so the water on your hands doesn’t damage it.” the Kid eagerly grabbed the four dollars, holding them up to the light as Red and Fluffy crowded closer for a better look.

“It’s all very green and drab,” Red frowned as she pulled the ten out of the Kid’s hands, casually moving it to the left as Fluffy tried to bite it. “That seems impractical. How would you keep track of it?”

“It’s not about the color, it's about the numbers on the paper,” Kodya crossed his arms, feeling vaguely insulted. Fluffy leaned back towards the Kid, this time succeeding to get the corner of a laminated dollar in her mouth.

“It’s not actually seaweed Sylvia,” Gyrus scolded as he pulled it gently out of her lips. “It’s their exchange. They call it ‘dollars’!”

Fluffy raised an eyebrow as if to say, _you sure?_  
Kodya pinched his brow. This was going to be harder than he thought.

“Wait a minute,” Gyrus wondered out loud as he flipped through the three remaining bills. “These dollars, they’re all different!”

Kodya’s head snapped up. Or maybe not. “Can you tell me what you notice that’s different?” he asked, trying not to sound as excited as he felt.

The Kid examined the one, five, and twenty dollar bills, a slight frown on his face. “The faces are all unique,” he finally said, and Kodya sighed. Well at least it was a start.

“Yes, the faces are different.” He leaned forward, pointing to the corner of the one dollar bill, “But what's most important is the number here. It tells you what the bill is worth.”

Red and Fluffy leaned back over the Kid’s shoulders to examine the numbers. “These squiggles are supposed to show worth?” Red wrinkled her nose.

Fluffy nodded, hands cupping around the picture as if to say: _It's all designed around the picture! It should be the most important thing!_  
“Look I didn’t design this!” Kodya snapped. “This is just the way it is!”

“But why have the pictures changed between dollars if it's not important?” Gyrus insisted. “Surely they must have some cultural significance.” Kodya opened his mouth to tell him to forget it but Gyrus added, “the significance might help me understand an aspect of the value human’s place in it.”

Kodya closed his mouth. There might be some truth in that. His shoulders sagged as he looked at the three bills in the Kid’s hands and the one in Red’s. Now if only he could remember who these guys were.

The first at least, was easy. “This is George Washington,” he pointed to the face on the one dollar bill and the Kid’s eyes lit up. “He was our first president.”

“President?” Gyrus prompts, leaning forward and staring up at Kodya. Kodya gulped.

“He leads our country,” Kodya explained. “Every four years everyone gets together and votes. Votes means to say everyone shares their opinion on who’s going to lead.” He added as he saw the Kid’s mouth open. “The person with the most votes wins.”

Fluffy cocked her head, eyes sharpening on Kodya, a strange interest gleaming inside them.

“So your leaders must get these votes every four years for the rest of their lives?” Red scoffs. “That seems like a waste of time. If the leader is good, then simply let them stay.” The Kid looked down and Fluffy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. She frowned at Red.

Kodya shook his head. “They can’t stay in office for more than two terms, which means they can only be voted in twice. After that it's someone else's term. It's done to ensure we never have a bad ruler we have to put up with for more than four to eight years.”

Red crossed her arms and sniffed. “That sounds absolutely…”

“Wonderful,” Gyrus sighed from Fluffy’s side. Fluffy nodded. Red’s head whipped around to stare at the both of them. “Oh don’t look at us like that,” Gyrus’ tail twitched. “Mom’s a great ruler, but with this method she could take a break! Maybe make a decision for herself? Wouldn’t that be nice?” He looked at Red, who bit her lip.

Kodya got the feeling there was a lot more going on here that he wasn’t aware of, and that if they kept going on this tangent, then they wouldn’t get off it. “Ahem,” he coughed into his fist. “George Washington’s face is on the one dollar bill,” he said, hoping to bring them back on track.

It seemed to work, as the Kid’s attention switched back to the bill in his hands. “the first president for the first bill!” he exclaimed. “I get it!” Gyrus studied the other two bills in his hands. “Are these the second and third presidents?”

“Nope,” Kodya plucked the five dollar bill from his hands and held it up. “This is the next smallest bill. The five dollar bill. It’s worth five of the ones with George Washington on it.”

“We’ve skipped all the way to five?” Red threw up her hands. “Your exchange is ridiculous!”

“Tori!” The Kid complained, “don’t be rude!”

Fluffy pointed at the picture and looked up at Kodya, head tilting to one side. Kodya took this as a prompt to continue talking. “The person on this bill is Abraham Lincoln.” He said, a bit louder than normal to make Red and the Kid stop arguing and look at him. It worked, with Gyrus eagerly scooting forward and Red huffing as she followed. “He is the second most important president in our history. And no,” he added as he saw the Kid open his mouth, “he was not the second president we had. He came much later.”

“How much later?” The Kid managed to get out, and Kodya paused. He really had absolutely no idea. High school history had been so long ago. He wracked his brain before continuing. “I’m not sure, four score and seven years or whatever that means, I think it's around a hundred. Look,” he said, waving the hand that didn’t hold the bill, “That’s not the point. The point is that this guy,-” he shook the bill for emphasis, “-stopped a civil war...that's a war where half the country tried to leave, and freed all the slaves while he was at it.”

“I know what slavery is!” The Kid’s tail swung back and forth eagerly, nearly hitting Tori and smacking Sylvia in the face. “That’s how we got Mingo and Obi!” Kodya blinked, unsure of what a mango had to do with slavery. At his confusion, the Kid straightened his back and began to speak in the rhythmic tone of a storyteller telling a well known tale, “Mingo and Obi were once human slaves held captive in a great boat by slavers. But where most simply despaired, they would not give up on hope. They tried to escape again and again with the hope of stealing a small boat and heading home. Eventually the slavers deemed them too much trouble to keep and had them thrown into the sea. But before they could perish, my mom heard their pleas, and ordered the sorcerer to turn them into Sirens.”

“You can do that?!” Kodya exclaimed, fixating on the transformation, and not the fact that Gyrus was speaking like he knew people who had obviously lived for several hundred years. Once again Kodya was faced with the possibility that the Kid was not so much of a kid after all, and the thought left him with an uncomfortable tingling in his stomach.

“Not without a sea sorcerer,” Red hissed, “and not without serious cost. I would not recommend trying it yourself human, a sorcerer always asks for more than you can give.” Fluffy gave a sad nod, still rubbing her head from where the Kid had whacked her.

“Okay,” Kodya said, deciding to move on from this too before he lost his nerve, and continue with the lesson. “Tori is holding the ten dollar bill. It’s worth ten George Washingtons or two Abraham Lincolns” He waved a hand towards her still feeling dazed. “I don’t really remember who he was, I think he was in a musical maybe?”

“Musical?” The Kid repeated, head tilting to one side and looking so very young and not at all like someone who might have lived centuries.

“It's like a play, but with singing,” Kodya explained, and when the Kid still looked confused he added, “people act out and sing a story for an audience.” The three mermaids’ eyes all began to sparkle.

“He’s a knowledge-spinner!” Gyrus beamed, Red looked down at her dollar with new respect, and even Fluffy looked a bit guilty for trying to bite it.

“Truly a man whose face is worthy of preservation on this exchange,” Red nodded. “I knew I had good taste.”

Kodya had a niggling feeling that they were all severely misrepresenting the man on that bill, but he didn’t remember enough to prove them wrong. “The last bill in the Kid’s hands is the 20 dollar bill. It’s worth twenty George Washingtons, four Lincolns, or two of the knowledge-spin-whatever. And before you ask,” he pointed at Gyrus, “I have no idea who he was.” The Kid’s face fell, and he stared down sadly at the last bill.

“You should ask my knowledge-spinner,” Red held up her bill. “I’m sure he could tell you.”

“Yeah, any guy on these bills has been dead for centuries,” Kodya shrugged. The three mermaids gave separate cries of outrage.

“Your knowledge-spinner is dead?” The Kid said.

“No wonder you humans are so backwards,” Red crossed her arms.

Kodya opened his mouth to protest, but Fluffy gave a sharp tug on his shirt sleeve. She pointed to the picture on the twenty, and then tapped her head, making a confused face.

“How do we keep track of its worth if we don’t bother to learn who he is?” Kodya translated, feeling a bit proud at doing it effectively. “That’s easy. We don’t need to. We-,” he rummaged in his bag, “-just read the number in the corners. Now,” he pulled out the four small white boards he’d bought with the money from the sea glass, “-who wants a marker?”

\-----------------

It took a few minutes to teach the mermaids how exactly the whiteboards worked, water’s ability to erase markings did not help matters, but once things were settled Kodya got right down to the lesson. “We’ll start with the first nine numbers,” he said as he drew a one on the board. “Now copy me.”

Red, Fluffy and the Kid all obediently placed their markers on their whiteboards and started drawing. When they finished, each one held it up for Kodya to inspect.

One wasn’t exactly a hard number to draw, more of a dash really, but Kodya was still relieved to see Gyrus had grasped the concept perfectly. Red’s was a little messier, but still clear. Then he saw Fluffy’s.

“What is that supposed to be?” Kodya exclaimed as he looked at the line with the little triangle on top. Sylvia held up one finger. And Kodya pinched his brow. “It's only supposed to be a line Fluffy, no triangle on top.”

Fluffy frowned, but slowly corrected her drawing, until it looked like a very slim wedge or a poorly drawn one. Kodya sighed, and decided to just take it.

“Now this is a two,” Kodya drew a two beside the one. “It’s a bit trickier. Remember, curve and line.”

“Curve and line,” the Kid repeated and he and the others copied it down. Kodya looked at his work and found it once again perfect. Red’s was shaky, but legible, and Fluffy’s…

“Fluffy!” Kodya tugged at his hair in frustration. “I said no triangles! There are no triangles in two!”

Fluffy hugged her whiteboard close to her chest, the drawing now of two lines, each with a mini triangle on the top, connected by the line forming the triangle’s third side. She held up two fingers and pointed to her drawing.

“You can’t just make up whatever you want!” Kodya growled. “You’ll never learn to read numbers if you do that!” Red shifted angrily, but Gyrus opened his mouth before she could.

“Maybe she’s just using another written form?” Gyrus offered. “You humans have different languages, why can’t you have different symbols for numbers?”

“Everyone uses these numbers!” Kodya replied, throwing up his hands. “All over the world! No one’s used symbols, especially ones like that, in forever!”

Fluffy crossed her arms in a way that clearly said, _I do._

“Uggg,” Kodya massaged his forehead as he tried to get a grip. There was something odd about Fluffy’s drawings, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. They just seemed so old, far too simple for hieroglyphics and the chinese system, but somehow similar. “Just how old are you?” He grumbled.

Fluffy pulled her whiteboard even closer and turned her back on all three. Red and the Kid all exchanged glances.“We don’t know,” Red began.

“She just showed up around 50 years ago,” Gyrus explained. “While we were swimming up in the icy seas in summer. She couldn’t talk, and nothing besides basic gestures seemed to mean anything to her. We took her with us because we couldn’t find any other pods in the area.”

Well, that sucked. Kodya looked at Sylvia, still drawing on her whiteboard, and felt bad for being so rude. For all he knew, this strange number system was all she had left of her family. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Fluffy didn’t give him the time.

Slyvia turned around, holding her whiteboard high above her head, and beamed. Gyrus, Red, and Kodya’s eyes all turned towards the image she had drawn.

“It’s a shark,” Red said, eyebrows drawn in confusion. “Why are you showing us a shark?” Fluffy facepalmed.

“Is that supposed to be a mermaid?” the Kid pointed at the very little figure beside the big shark. “Is she supposed to be that small?” Fluffy nodded eagerly, but the Kid still looked confused.

The mermaid was really tiny, Kodya privately agreed, like a tenth, or even a twentieth of the size of the shark. A shark that size wouldn’t have existed for millenia. A memory of a faded poster flickered through his mind, one left over from his embarrassing dinosaur faze as a child. “Is that supposed to be a Megalodon?” He asked.

Fluffy cocked her head. Not in denial, but not in agreement either. It occurred to Kodya that they probably didn’t call them Megalodons back in the day, and he hurried to explain. “A Megalodon was this huge shark that lived way back in the past. It was about half the size of a great blue whale.”

Fluffy jumped in the air, waving her whiteboard excitedly as she flopped around, tail smacking the side of the railing with a wet thunk. Red and the Kid stared at her in shock as Kodya felt lightheaded. “But they went extinct in the ice age!” He said as he tried to steady himself. “That was three million years ago! It’s practically a dinosaur!”

“Are ye really so old?” Red asked Sylvia, who tried to mime some kind of explanation, but kept moving too fast to make sense. Gyrus watched them for a few seconds, before turning to Kodya, seemingly concluding that he would provide a clearer answer.

“What’s a dinosaur?” He asked, big amethyst eyes staring up at Kodya like he had all the answers in the world. Kodya had just enough time to think, _we are never getting back on topic,_ before his inner seven-year-old self took over, and he launched into a lecture on all the different types of dinosaurs. But somehow, Kodya found as Tori and Sylvia joined Gyrus in listening attentively, he didn’t mind at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a Caribbean myth I was once told about how the slaves who fell into the waves while crossing the Atlantic came back as mermaids who tried to sing sailors to their doom in revenge. If you've heard a different version, or even the same, I'd love to hear about it.


	4. To the Shore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kodya’s class takes a fieldtrip, and it goes about as well as can be expected when you let three curious mermaids loose in a general store.

As the weeks rolled by, a pattern began to emerge. Kodya would wake up early and go out fishing, just like before. Only now three bright-colored heads would rise from the water to greet him as soon as he cut the engine, the Kid at the forefront with some small gift to appease Kodya. He would still set out the nets, like always. But now a mermaid or two would be there to try and help. Occasionally one, usually Red, would get stuck and need to be cut out. Kodya would still eat his lunches out on the water like always, but now those lunches would be shared by three mermaids chattering and snacking themselves. Even Fluffy would mime out an opinion or two. Then after lunch, Kodya would start teaching.

Gyrus was, by far, the best student Kodya had ever seen. It took him almost no time to learn basic math, and soon he was calculating faster and with greater accuracy than Kodya himself could. Kodya had once tried to explain how budgeting worked to illustrate why his nets were so important, and by that evening Gyrus had completely reorganized his budget to the point where he was saving more money than he’d thought was possible. In all honesty, Kodya was pretty sure Gyrus was some kind of super genius, and found he was rapidly running out of things to teach him.

If he’d only known the Kid, Kodya is pretty sure that he would have chalked up Gyrus’ super-intelligence to just a siren thing. But alas, it appeared that great age did not translate to skill with numbers, as both Fluffy and Red were leagues behind. Not that they were terrible, Kodya begrudgingly noted that if they had been to elementary school together they both have had higher grades than he did. But they needed a slower pace, and often Kodya found he had to slow down the lesson to accommodate them.

If teaching them all math had been their only goal, Kodya would have tried giving Fluffy and Red more class hours while sending the Kid off to do homework or something. But neither Fluffy or Red showed any particular interest in putting extra work into improving their own skills. They’d put up a show to support Gyrus of course, but Fluffy’s constant fidgeting and Red’s frustrated growls made it very clear they did not really want to be there. This in turn made Gyrus get distracted trying to explain and keep them interested, meaning he didn’t advance either. Eventually Kodya just got tired of it and told them to go out and help fish every other afternoon, while he focused on more advanced material with Gyrus.

This they happily accepted, only attending class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and leaving Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to the Kid and Kodya. Kodya would never admit it, but these days were his favorite. He’d stay out way longer than he usually did, just to keep whatever conversation the Kid inevitably dragged him into going. He hadn’t enjoyed another person’s company this much since he’d met Nephthys.

Nephthys noticed the change in behavior, commenting about how mopey he got while away from the sea, and giggling that he might have gotten a boyfriend he didn’t tell her about. Kodya was quick to deny this, but more than willing to talk about whatever trouble Red, Fluffy, and the Kid got into, under the pretense of being pesky dolphins of course. Such stories would appease her curiosity, and she rarely went beyond light teasing as she watched Kodya inevitably perk up as the weekend drew to a close and Monday neared.

It was on one such Monday that Kodya finally worked up the courage to ask Gyrus a question that had been weighing on him for a while.

“So how old are you anyways?” Kodya said, eyes on the white board as he wrote out a few problems he’d created based off of his and Nephthys’s shopping lists and an old book about store finance.

“Probably around your age,” Gyrus shrugged, to absorbed in his work on the problems to notice the way Kodya had shut the book to look at him sharply.

“And how old do you think I am?” Kodya pressed.

“I don’t know, 200s right?” Gyrus glanced up at him, and finally seemed to realize something was wrong. “Are you older?” He offered, looking embarrassed, and not at all like a being who was most certainly not a kid.

“I’m 24,” Kodya stated, voice flat. Now what am I going to call you? He mentally despaired.

“24?” Gyrus’ mouth fell open. “But you can’t be! You’re clearly an adult!”

“Of course I’m an adult!” Kodya crossed his arms, “I’ve been an adult for six years!”

“18?” Gyrus’ tail twitched in agitation. “Humans reach maturity so young? How long do you _live_?”

Kodya shifted uncomfortably at his tone, feeling slightly offended. He wasn’t the weird one here. “We live to be around 80? Some a bit less and some a bit longer, you know, a normal amount.”

“That’s so short,” Gyrus shook his head. “I can’t even…how can you stand it?”

“Hey!” Kodya scowled down at Gyrus, “Most creatures live way shorter life spans, so I’d say you living so long is the weird one here. We do just fine with 80 years thanks.”

Gyrus placed his head in his hands. “Every time I think I’m beginning to understand humans, I find out there’s so much more I don’t know.” He looked very small then, and forlorn. Kodya felt his anger dissipate.

“Look, Kid,” he said, drawing the last word on his tongue to see if Gyrus would notice and protest. He didn’t, and so Kodya plowed on. “You’re doing fine. You’ve learned everything I taught you way quicker than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

“Not everything,” Gyrus sighed as he picked up his whiteboard. “I can do the calculations, sure, but I don’t really get all the words. Like this one,” he pointed to a problem, “35 cents for bananas. What are bananas? I know they must be food from how you talk about them, but I have no idea what they look like. And this!” He jabbed a finger at one of the words, “Bug spray! How do you get something as small as a bug to spray anything?”

“Slow down Kid,” Kodya interrupted and Gyrus deflated at the sound of his voice. “I can bring you a banana and bug spray if you want.”

“But even if you did, there would inevitably be something else I can’t picture or misunderstand. I just wish,” he sighed again, pulling his emerald tail close around his body. “I just wish I could see it all for myself.”

His lower lip started to tremble, and Kodya felt his heart clench at the sight. “Maybe you could,” he said, and then instantly wanted to hit himself for promising something so impossible. But Gyrus was looking at him with wide, watery eyes like Kodya just promised him the moon, and Kodya couldn’t bring himself to deny him anything.

\----------------

The old shed opened with the loud grating noise of rusted hinges. Kodya winced slightly at the sound, before pushing forward into the crowded space before him. Nephthys had said the inflatable kiddie pool was just in here the last time she’d seen it. But that had been nearly seven years ago, back when she’d tried to teach him how to swim in exchange for teaching her written English. Those lessons had not lasted very long, in part because Kodya was much less gracious as a student than as a teacher, and in part because the drowning incident had still been fresh in his mind.

He shoved aside The fishing rod he’d gotten for his Mom at fifteen, still as clean and unused as the day he’d bought it, and some of her old Navy Seal camping gear. Where was it? It should be with the practical stuff…

Something bright and pink caught his eye, the faded plastic tucked quietly in a corner behind some old storage bins. Kodya waded over towards it and gave it a gentle tug, pulling out of another box labeled POOL in his mother’s loopy handwriting. He pulled the cumbersome plastic out, and stopped.

There was something else in the bin, soft against his hands. Weird. He couldn’t think of anything pool related that was soft, and his mother was usually so organized. He looked down to see a strange fur wrap below. It was plain brown, with faded spots making a star pattern along it. One edge was jagged and sharp, with bits of leather skin poking out below it. Kodya ran a finger down the edge, and wondered if someone had taken a blunt knife to it.

The plastic of the pool rustled against the boxes as Kodya shifted, drawing his attention back towards it. He shut the pool box with a snap. Whatever it was, it didn’t concern him. His mother could sort it out on her own time. He had a mermaid’s day to make.

\---------

“I’m back!” Kodya called as two brightly colored heads appeared in the water. “And you’ll never believe what I brought for you today!”

Gyrus beamed at him, and Kodya took a minute to examine that lovely smile and enjoy how it was all for him. “We’ve got something to show you too!” the Kid exclaimed, “Do you want to see it?”

“Sure Kid,” Kodya allowed himself a slight twitch of his lips, wondering what seaglass or shells Gyrus had brought for him today. “But I’ll bet mine’s better.”

Red and the Kid exchanged glances, before Red sighed. “Just so we are clear,” she said, “I do not fully approve of this idea.” So saying, she dove into the water, and in her place rose a single white corner, then another and another, until there was a great white box with a handle sticking out the side.

Kodya blinked. “What is that supposed to be?” He asked, squinting at the sides. Something about the faded pink stickers looked familiar. Was that ice cream?

“It’s a box with wheels!” Gyrus proclaimed, gesturing to the suspiciously familiar object. Kodya raised an eyebrow, and the Kid blushed. “Lift it higher!” Gyrus hissed, and the white box raised above the water, allowing for both the wheels and Fluffy’s head to come into view.

“See?” Gyrus’ purple orbs practically glowed. Beside him Fluffy beamed and even Red looked a bit smug.

“I see,” said Kodya, feeling somewhat baffled. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“That’s the best part!” the Kid’s green tail surfaced to slash the top of the water excitedly. It went straight into Tori’s face and she sputtered, causing one end to dip back into the water. “This box holds water! Without it coming out! If you put me in this I could come with you to shore!”

Well that diminished Kodya’s surprise a bit. He felt a bit hurt. He’d put a lot of thought into his kiddie pool. But he shook it off in favor of squinting at the white cart. It was looking more and more familiar the more he stared.

“Is that,-” he frowned, “- Oli’s ice cream cart?!” Oli’s ice cream was a staple on the beach in the summer months, and he’d recently upgraded to owning a portable cart that he employed Anan to push around and increase business. But Anan had lost it under what he claimed was a sudden storm. Kodya narrowed his eyes. “Did you hypnotize Anan into giving that up?”

“We didn’t hypnotize anyone,” Red sniffed. “This was a gift.”

“We just asked, and he handed it right over!” Gyrus added. “He didn’t even stop to question why we were all in the water!”

Fluffy batted her eyelashes and then threw Kodya a wink, and Kodya had the sneaking suspicion that they had used a different method of coercion instead. But hey, he shrugged. Oli hadn’t held that much of a grudge, and it was high time Anan learned a lesson about not giving in to the whims of every pretty girl that smiled at him.

“So what was it you brought for us?” Gyrus asked innocently, and all three mermaids' attention snapped to him.

“Oh,” Kodya rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I kinda brought something similar, only bigger, and with no wheels.”

“Really?” Gyrus beamed. “That’s great! Now we can all go on land!” _All?_ Kodya opened his mouth to protest. He could hide maybe one mermaid, but three?

“That would set some of my fears to rest,” Red said, sounding appeased. “I did not want to leave Gyrus to wander this strange world without protection.”

Fluffy began bobbing up and down in the water, splashing wildly with the ice cream cart to show her enthusiasm.

_I’m not getting out of this,_ Kodya realized with a sinking dread as all three mermaids celebrated around him. _I need a plan._

\--------------

The plan was simple. Really. Early in the morning, Kodya would meet the three mermaids at the docks. There was a rainstorm scheduled for Thursday, perfect for both providing cover and keeping the mermaids wet. Kodya would load the three of them into the back of his truck, where they would climb into the kiddy pool. Then Kodya would drive really slowly into town, pull out the white cart, now covered in a blanket to pass as a wheelchair, and wheel each mermaid through the store. Simple.

The first part went off without a hitch. It was indeed raining on Thursday morning, the icky, thick, constant rain that made it very uncomfortable to be outside for long periods of time. When Kodya arrived on the dock, he found it deserted. Perfect.

“Guys?” he hissed as he scanned the dark waves. “It’s time.” Three multicolored heads rose from below the dock to greet him.

“That took too long,” Red grumbled. “I had half thought ye’d grown cold feet.”

“It took longer to fill the pool than I expected,” Kodya sighed. “Now come on.” He extended his arms towards Fluffy, who was closest.

Red batted his hand away. “I’ll go first,” she snapped. “It is my duty as champion of the queen to ensure the safety of the rest of the pod.” Kodya rolled his eyes, but complied, hauling her surprisingly light body up into the air. Sylvia went next, eagerly wrapping strong arms around his neck as he lifted her up into the truck too.

And then at last, it was Gyrus’ turn. Kodya reached down for him, determined not to react. It was just a simple assist after all. Kodya could feel both warm skin and slick scales as he carefully lifted him into the air. Gyrus’ arms wrapped around Kodya’s neck, pulling close to Kodya’s chest and soaking his already wet shirt further.

Gyrus ran a curious hand through his hair, playing with the hair tie in the back. “You’re hair feels so strange dry,” He murmured, lavender orbs hypnotic. Their faces were inches apart, and Kodya froze. They hadn’t been this close since the day they met, when Gyrus had called him perfect, and the mere memory sent Kodya’s whole face alight. Gyrus gave the slightest of frowns as he ran gentle fingers through Kodya’s hair. “What’s wrong?”

“If ye are quite finished,” Tori’s loud voice broke through Kodya’s haze, “the sooner we start this, the sooner we can get back to the sea.”

Kodya yelped, placing Gyrus hastily in the back of the truck and ducking his head as he hurried to the front. Still bright red, he gripped the back of the wheel and took several deep breaths. He needed to focus damn it. Or this whole trip would end in disaster.

Disaster…the various, horrible ends of this hair brained scheme were enough to bring him back to reality. If he messed up here, the mermaids could end up in an aquarium, or worse, dissected. He took a deep breath and put the truck in drive. By the time he’d reached the store, the image of Gyrus’ face so close to his own was properly suppressed in the back of his mind.

\---------

Step two turned out to have its own set of problems. Namely that as soon as he put the truck in park, he found the mermaids arguing in the back about who would go in first.

“It will be I,” Red’s arms were crossed. “It’s my job to keep you safe, there’s no point in arguing.”

“You don’t even want to see the store!” Gyrus scowled. “Nor do you know as much about humans as I do! And besides,” he crossed his arms, “I’ll be with Kodya so there’s no need to protect me!” He glanced to the side. “Right Sylvia?”

Fluffy threw up her hands in a clear signal of, _keep me out of this!_  
“What’s the problem now?” Kodya massaged the space between his brow. Both Red and the Kid turned on him.

“I am going first, and that is final,” Red snapped at the same time Gyrus said,

“It isn’t fair!”

Kodya sighed, considering. On the one hand, letting Red go first would strengthen the fragile trust they had formed. On the other hand, the Kid was far, far too old to be babied like Red wanted, and going first with Red meant introducing her to Alistair. Kodya squared his shoulders. He’d rather avoid whatever fight she’d pick for as long as possible.

“It’s the Kid’s trip, he gets to go first,” he said, and Red scowled while Gyrus lit up.

“Alright!” Gyrus pulled himself to the edge of the truck to avoid the angry Red. “Help me down and let’s get going!”

“Not so fast kid!” Kodya scolded. “I’ve got to get the wheelchair ready first.” He pulled out the ice cream cart and opened the lid, revealing the cold water he’d taken from his hose the night before.

Carefully, he picked Gyrus up again, this time avoiding eye contact, and plopped him inside. Access water flooded over the edge and distracted the Kid while Kodya tried to hide his blush. To distract himself, he fiddled with the lid, wondering how it would close without bothering the top sticking out.

“This is so exciting!” Gyrus turned to Kodya, eyes shining. Kodya’s hands tightened on the lid at the sight, and a crack came from underneath them. Both Gyrus and Kodya looked down at the now unattached lid. Well, Kodya thought. There goes that problem.

The blanket was thrown over the top to hide the water and the faded ice cream stickers, and the makeshift wheelchair was ready to go. There was just one thing missing. “Here.” Kodya pulled out an old shirt and handed it to Gyrus. “Humans can’t go in stores without full clothing,” he explained, trying to make it seem normal and not like he’d spent hours agonizing over which one of his old shirts to give to Gyrus.

“Thank you,” Gyrus murmured, pulling the bright yellow shirt, specifically chosen to match the yellow tips of his tail, over his head. “Yellow is my favorite color.” Kodya shrugged as casually as he could, but tucked that little piece of information away in his brain.

“Time to go,” he said, stepping behind the cart pushing it towards the door.

\---------

As Kodya predicted, Gyrus _loved_ the store. He found everything about it fascinating. From the food to the overpriced towels and swimwear for tourists. Kodya thought he would explode when he found the nets Kodya usually bought and recognized them. He wanted to know how everything worked, what it all did, and why Kodya would or wouldn’t buy it. The towels in particular fascinated him, as he had known humans hated to be too wet, but he’d never realized what a big deal it was until he saw all the different patterns and colors. He was quite disappointed when Kodya broke it to him that the colors and patterns were purely decorative, and didn’t hold any significance at all.

Eventually they got down to business. Kodya walked Gyrus through his grocery list, explaining what each item looked like and what it did. Gyrus seemed to have memorized the prices, and was more than eager to read off the numbers and comment on cheaper options available. Kodya would then have to justify his choice, usually because of quality, and explain it to an attentive Gyrus. It was a long process, but Kodya didn’t think he’d ever had this much fun shopping for groceries before.

But as Kodya finished explaining about bananas and how they worked, he noticed Gyrus’ mood had taken a turn for the morose.

“What’s wrong?” Kodya asked, as Gyrus stared glumly down at the bunch of bananas in his hands. “Am I going too fast?”

“No, no,” Gyrus sighed. “It’s stupid.” Kodya crossed his arms, waiting, and Gyrus shifted the bananas into one hand to run the free one through his hair. “It’s not that I’m not grateful you brought me here so I could see everything, it’s just,” he peaked up at Kodya through his starshaped bangs, “there’s so much of it. I’ll never learn it all today, even if we didn’t have to hurry up and give Tori and Sylvia their turn.”

“Who said you had to learn it all today?” Kodya pointed out. “We’ve got the pool and the wheelchair now. We can definitely come back here again.”

“But it won’t always be raining,” Gyrus pointed out. “You might get seen helping us out of the water.”

Kodya waved a hand as he began to push Gyrus forward. “We’ll just have to figure out another way then. You’re smart. You know what the hurdles are, you come up with something.”

Gyrus shot Kodya a small smile. “Thank you Kodya,” he said. “You really are the best person to teach me.” Kodya ducked his head and pushed harder, trying to hide his blush.

“Kodya? Is that you? I thought I recognized you wandering about my store!” Kodya’s head snapped up to see Alistair waving from the counter. _Oh no._ “But who is this handsome stranger you’ve brought with you?” Alistair practically jumped over the counter to see better. It took all of Kodya’s strength not to grab the cart's controls and wheel them both out the door.

“Careful Alistair!” Kodya shouted as the man stepped closer and began shamelessly feeling up Gyrus’ muscles. “He’s in a wheelchair!” He pushed Alistair away as Gyrus starred with a look of absolute puzzlement on his face.

“Of course, of course!” Alistair said as he stepped back to lean on his counter. “What’s your name, handsome?”

“I’m Gyrus,” Gyrus said, sounding faintly amused. “Nice to meet you.”

“A pleasure! An absolute pleasure! I am Alistair, and this is my humble store!” Alistair gave a sweeping gesture to encompass the whole building. Kodya rolled his eyes at his theatrics.

“Are you really?” Gyrus asked, sounding intrigued. “Where do you get all the items for sale?”

“Trying to find my sources? How shameless,” Alistair raised an eyebrow and Gyrus blushed, sensing he’d done something wrong. Kodya scowled. “But don’t worry!” Alistair laughed. “My sources are all local, like our charming mutual friend, Kodya here!” He pointed to Kodya who crossed his arms.

“I don’t supply you that often,” Kodya grumbled.

“Oh come now Kodya, don’t be modest.” Alistair winked, he leaned over to Gyrus and whispered, “He caught me a great white shark, I still have the teeth if you want to buy them!”

“I know,” Gyrus smiled. “But I don’t need another shark’s tooth.”

“Another?” Alistair drew back in shock, mouth hanging open. He glanced wildly between Gyrus and Kodya. “You don’t mean to tell me our grumpy Kodya snagged a stud like you?”

“We aren’t dating Alistair,” Kodya stepped in before Gyrus had a chance to misunderstand. “I’m just showing him around while he’s in the states.”

“So he’s single?” Alistair said, and Kodya felt his heart stop.

“Kodya’s been really kind to me!” Gyrus piped up, clearly hoping to back up the illusion of being new to the area. “He’s taught me so much about these states!”

“Oh really? And what has he taught you?” Alistair leaned forward into Gyrus’ personal space.

“Lots! I’ve learned about money, and the presidents on the bills, and dinosaurs…” Gyrus began to rattle off all the things he’d recently learned while Alistair took the opportunity to stare shamelessly at his lips.

Kodya rolled his eyes, disgusted, then froze. Out of the corner of his eye he could have sworn he’d seen a blue tail.

\-----------

Kodya stalked through the store, following the telltale trail of water down the aisles. He hated to leave the Kid alone with Alistair, but he trusted him to be able to handle himself and keep Alistair distracted while Kodya hunted down their real problem.

Speaking of which, he turned a corner to find one half of the dynamic duo munching happily away on the fish in the deli. “Fluffy!” Kodya hissed, as the pink-haired mermaid turned her wide eyes on him. “What are you doing here? And where’s Red?” He’d seen a blue tail, and unless Fluffy had changed her forest green scales blue and back in the last minute, there was no way she was alone.

Fluffy shrugged, gesturing to the fish in front of her to say, _I don’t know, I got distracted by the food._  
Kodya cursed, striding forward to grab Fluffy bodily and drag her away with a cry of, “you aren’t supposed to be here!” His motion startled Fluffy, whose tail whipped around and knocked the whole deli over, sending the whole display of fish directly on top of her.

Kodya and Fluffy froze. Panicked blue meeting panicked brown. For a second all was still, until in the silence the clunking sound of heavy boots began to fill the air. Fluffy sprang into action, covering herself with the fish in an attempt to blend in. Kodya helped, figuring that if whoever was coming mistook her tail for another fish they might just by themselves some time.

They had just finished when Knox, an employee of Alistair’s store, rounded the corner. “I heard a loud noise, and have been instructed to look for damages,” he said in that monotone voice of his.

Kodya could have cried with relief. If there was one word that summed Knox up, it was gullible. “Don’t just stand there!” He snapped, putting on his most thunderous expression. “Get the first aid kit!” Knox paused, eyes traveling from Kodya’s face to Sylvia’s fish covered tail, to her big puppy dog eyes about to overflow with tears.

“I will retrieve it,” he said, voice still montone, but there was a quickness in his step that betrayed his concern. As soon he turned the corner Kodya let out a relieved sigh.

Fluffy beamed up at Kodya, clearly ecstatic that it had worked. Kodya frowned back at her. “We still need to get out of here before he gets back,” he pointed out.

Fluffy rolled her eyes with the clear message of, _you worry too much._ And no Kodya wasn’t having that. He grabbed her arm and tugged it upwards.

“Come on,” he said as Fluffy obligingly circled her arms around his neck so he could lift her up. “We’ve got to find Red and get out of here before he comes back.”

“Before who comes back?” Kodya and Fluffy’s heads snapped to the right to see Tori emerging from the towel section. “And what was that noise?”

“What were you thinking!” Kodya felt his fury return in full force. “You knew you had to wait in the truck!” Fluffy looked down guiltily, but Red crossed her arms.

“I am the Champion of the Queen.” She scowled. “It is my duty to keep Gyrus safe. You were taking too long.”

“Gyrus is perfectly fine!” Kodya hissed, taking a step forward. “But now thanks to you two, I had to leave him alone, and now I have to get you out of here before anyone sees your tails and calls the press!”

Red drew herself up to her full height, which given half of her was a floppy fishtail, wasn’t that impressive. “I am perfectly capable of…” But Fluffy held up a hand to stop her, cocking her ear as if listening. Kodya and Tori followed her example, and Kodya’s heart stopped once again.

Footsteps.

Red dove towards the racks of towels as Kodya looked around wildly for a place to stash Fluffy. Could he throw her back into the fish?

Too soon the footsteps came to a halt. Kodya froze as a very familiar voice said, “Kody?”

Slowly Kodya turned around to see Nephthys standing in the aisle, eyes wide as she took in Red half hidden behind the towels and Fluffy still in Kodya’s arms. “Neph, I can explain,” he started, but she shook her head.

“Alistair is coming!” She said as she pulled out her purse. “Distract him while I fix this!” Kodya wanted to argue he’d be better able to carry both mermaids, wanted to ask why she wasn’t reacting, but the look in her eyes told him not to argue. He wordlessly handed off Fluffy and hurried back to where Alistair and Gyrus were waiting.

“Kodya!” Alistair called out. “What was that all about?”

“You just left,” Gyrus added, a bit reproachfully. “Then we heard a huge crash.”

Kodya waved a hand. “An accident. But don’t worry, Nephthys is taking care of it.” He shot Gyrus a look that he hoped communicated, _help me distract him._

Alistair was still frowning, concern clear on his face. “I should still check it out, someone could have been hurt.”

“You really don’t have to,” Kodya said, and Gyrus added,

“Didn’t you say you can’t leave the counter to avoid losing a sale?”

Alistair stroked his beard, looking torn. “This is true, but I really can’t ignore people hurt in my store…” his face split into a sly grin that made Kodya’s stomach drop. “So Gyrus, you’re hired!”

“I’m what?” Gyrus stared in confusion.

“Wait a minute!” Kodya protested. “You can’t just hire Gyrus!” He was a mermaid for one, with a tail and no social security!

“Why not?” Alistair beamed. “He’s got all the qualifications: He has an understanding of basic math, thinks Andrew Jackson isn’t worthy of his position on the twenty dollar bill, and best of all, he’s really cute!” Alistair winked at Kodya and turned to Gyrus, “So what do you say? I’ll pay you an entry level salary, but with your brain and looks you’re likely to get promoted no problem!”

“You’ll pay me?” Gyrus blinked. “In money?”

Alistair opened his mouth to reply, an amused smile on his lips, just as Nephthys rounded the corner with Fluffy on her shoulder and another woman with red hair helping Nephthys support her. “Time to go Kody!”

Kodya wasted no time, grabbing Gyrus’s wheelchair’s handles as Gyrus scrambled for the grocery bags and began wheeling him out after the three women.

“Wait a minute,” Alistair started, “What happened?” But Nephthys waved her free hand behind her.

“Got it handled, take care of the mess and bill me!” She cried as she pushed through the door, a towel wrapped over Fluffy’s tail as she and the familiar looking stranger carried her out. Kodya and Gyrus followed, leaving a confused Alistair behind as they stepped into the open air.

“Where’s Red?” Kodya asked as soon as they got to the safety of the truck. He and the blue-tailed mermaid never saw eye to eye, but he didn’t want to leave her stuck in there.

“I’m right here,” snapped the woman with the red hair, “or have you gone blind?” Kodya blinked, and blinked again, his brain not catching up with his eyes. His gaze traveled down, from her distinctive red hair, to her odd plated shirt, to the towel tied around her waist, and her….

“You have _legs!”_ Gyrus screamed, finger pointing in shock. Kodya blinked again, and yes. That was what his brain was struggling to comprehend. Before them both stood Red, on two legs and looking utterly human.

Tori placed a hand on her hip. “Yes, thanks to the potion the witch gave me.” She gestured to Nephthys with her other hand.

Kodya’s eyes flicked to Nephthys, and she gave him jazz hands with an awkward smile. “Surprise?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tori: I’ve fought sharks! How hard could a single human be?  
> Also Tori: flopping around on the pavement. “Curse you store! I will reach you if it’s the last thing I do!”


	5. Nephthys' Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nephthys reminisces about her own experiences under the sea as she helps Kodya hide the three sirens.

“You gave her legs!” Kodya gaped like a fish, staring at Nephthys like she’d grown a second head. Nephthys held back a wince. She really hadn’t meant for him to figure it out like this, but she’d come upon Kodya with a siren in his arms, Alistair had been on his way, and she’d needed to do something or they’d all be caught.

_Never get caught. This rule comes above all._

“How, why,” Kodya stuttered, still trying to come to terms with what he just saw. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally says, a note of hurt in his voice.

“I have told you silly!” Nephthys gave a performative giggle, “Did you think my shop and aura readings were for show?”

Kodya opened his mouth and closed it again, still looking somewhat hurt. Nephthys couldn’t blame him. There was a huge difference between claiming to be a witch to sell trinkets to tourists, and using actual magic in front of someone. But at least he wasn’t going to push it. Nephthys was certain she could have handled having that conversation in front of strangers.

_Kodya must never know. He does not belong in our world. If you live with us, you must understand this._

“If we are all done stating the obvious, I would very much like my tail back now.” The red-haired siren sniffed. Arms crossed.

“Of course, of course,” Nephthys smiled. “But not here. Let’s go back to my store, where we’re not in the open where anyone could see.” She shot the red-haired siren a look, and she lowered her head, a scowl on her face.

“Fine,” Kodya grunted as he lifted the fluffy-haired siren into the air and placed her in the back of his truck. Nephthys strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of the old kiddie pool in the back, how ingenuous. Kodya gestured to Nephthys and the red-haired siren. “Nephthys gets the front seat, Red, sit in the back seat.” Red moved towards the fluffy one, but Kodya stopped her. “Back seat means inside the truck, not outside it.”

“Then specify,” Red grumbled as she climbed carefully into the back, flopping awkwardly across the back seats as if she wasn’t quite sure how she was supposed to sit.

“Can I sit inside the truck too?” The boy said, but Kodya shook his head.

“You’ve still got a tail,” he pointed out as he lifted up the green-tailed siren out of what Nephthys was not realizing was a mini aquarium on wheels. The siren clung to him, and Nephthys watched Kodya’s ears grow bright red. Interesting.

Kodya deposited the siren gently into the back so he could crawl to the pool. Then he lifted the little aquarium wheelchair in behind him, and turned to the front.

“Don’t think, just go,” Nephthys heard him mutter under his breath.

\-----------

“Don’t think, just go!” her father screamed, pushing Nephthys bodily out of the net. All around her the shouts and screams of a battle waged disoriented her. The great ship stretched upwards like a pillar, black jets streaming off as it sank slowly into the water. Warriors swarmed it, some placing hands or whole arms into cracks and leaks, others trying to push it upwards. Singers sank from above, blackened scales dull as they choked on water. Nephthys followed their trail, to see the slick black substance block out the sun. Oil. She clutched her father’s bag of medicines to her chest, tears still in her eyes, and fled.

\----------

“Come in. Come in!” Nephthys beamed as she switched the sign on the door from open to closed. Kodya pushed the boy siren in while Red carried Fluffy. “We’ll talk in the back.” She led them past her glittering potions, and waved them all behind the purple curtain that marked the back from the front. Behind it was where she kept both an emergency tub, and her workbench, complete with extra potion bottles and tea set for easier digestion.

Kodya parked the Kid next to the tub and perched awkwardly on the work bench next to him. Red placed Fluffy carefully in the tub before parking herself on its edge. Nephthys turned her attention to the tea.

“Now,” Nephthys said as she lifted her favorite tea pot to pour five cups. “You want to know about the potion, correct?”

“Aye,” Tori crossed her arms. “I know your kind. You don’t do favors without a price.”

“Tori!” the Kid screeched, and Nephthys frowned, not appreciating that particular generalization, but she supposed it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Or magic needs to have something as a basis in order to work. I can’t make miracles from nothing,” she gently reprimanded. “It needn’t be any worse than trading for food or clothes.”

“So then what do you want in trade for my tail back?” Tori pressed, legs twitching oddly like she was trying to swish her tail. Sylvia braced against her so she didn’t fall off the edge of the tub.

“Nothing at all,” Nephthys smiled, and all three sirens startled.

“But you just said…” Kodya protested, but Nephthys cut him off.

“I don’t need anything, because this potion was designed to be temporary,” she explained. “You’ll have your tail back in a few hours. The only catch is that you are completely human right now, so I wouldn’t recommend you go swimming, as you’ll find you can’t breathe underwater anymore.”

“But what did you trade to get it to work?” The Kid piped up, eyes wide and curious. “You said magic has to come from somewhere.”

Nephthys smiled. It had been a long time since someone had wanted to listen to her lecture on the finer points of potion making. “You already provided it when you got that sea glass for Kodya. Unless,” she shot Kodya a wink, “he really has been training dolphins.”

“Dolphins?” Gyrus blinked.

“Trained?” Tori sniffed. Fluffy arched an eyebrow.

“Nephthys!” Kodya growled, ears burning red. All three sirens turned to him with similarly judgmental looks. “Oh come on,” he snapped. “I had to come up with some kind of excuse to explain how I got it!”

“And you picked dolphins?” The Kid furrowed his brow in confusion. Kodya’s ears got redder.

Nephthys smiled, pleased to see Kodya getting along with others. “You’re welcome to stay here while you wait for the potion to wear off,” she said. “If you need me, I’ll be handling the front.” So saying she turned on her heel and left Kodya to sputter out excuses to the three sirens.

But it seemed that was not enough to stop the siren’s curiosity. And Nephthys found that not ten minutes passed before the youngest siren peeked outside the curtain.

“Witch Nephthys?” the Kid asked. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Nephthys glanced around the shop to check it was empty, a long standing habit of hers, before turning her attention to the Kid with a smile. “Of course,” she said. The Kid’s face lit up.

He grabbed the wall, pushing himself forward in his little cart so he could be closer to her. “I’m Gyrus,” he began with a shy duck of his head. “I don’t think we were ever properly introduced.”

“I fear we haven’t,” Nephthys giggled, “what with running from Alistair and all. I’m Nephthys.” She added. “But you already know that thanks to Kody.”

“The red-haired one is Tori, and the pink-haired one is Sylvia,” Gyrus added. “Just so you know.”

“Thank you,” Nephthys smiled, glad to have a name to go with the faces. A silence stretched between them, until Nephthys broke it by prompting, “What were your questions?”

“Right!” Gyrus jumped, running a hand through his hair. He looked adorably awkward. “Well, I was wondering about the potion you made. Is there any more of it, what are the long term effects, and,-“ he peaked at her through his bangs, “-what would you want in exchange for some?”

“You want a potion?” Nephthys blinked. “What for?” Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with Kodya, and are here to trade your voice like in _The Little Mermaid,_ she thought, remembering the Disney movie Kodya’’d never openly admit was his favorite.

“Well,” Gyrus began to twiddle his thumbs. “Alistair offered me a job, which would be a great way to learn even more about humans and their exchange. Besides,” he glanced up at her, eyes shining “What better way to understand humans than to be one? If I could use the potion, Kodya could take me everywhere and show me everything without having to describe it all!”

“Slow down a bit,” Nephthys held up her hand. “Kodya still has his own job to do, he’s not going to be free all the time.” Gyrus pouted a bit, and Nephthys suppressed a squeal at how adorable he looked. She was beginning to see why Kodya was so infatuated.

“You can use the potion though,” she offered, watching him perk up. “It’s fairly easy to make, provided you bring the sea glass I need to activate the magic.” Sea glass might be small, but every sea witch worth her salt knew there was powerful magic in objects that had become part of two worlds. Speaking of which… “There are a few limitations to this power,” she warned.

Gyrus sat straighter, watching her with a keen interest as she continued. “The first limitation is that this potion is temporary. It generally lasts a few hours, and if it's refined enough it might even last several days.” Not that she would be selling that potion to a first time user.

“But it can be unpredictable,” she continued, “and if you aren’t careful you can get stuck in some pretty awkward places and have to rely on others to come and rescue you.” Nephthys knew this from experience, as she’d once been trapped in the girl’s bathroom with eight tentacles, and had to yell for Kodya to run home and get her special bottle, no questions asked. Luckily he’d mistaken it for Advil and always been extra insistent she bring medicine with her every month.

“So be careful,” Gyrus nodded, brow furrowed. “Anything else?”

“Over use,” Nephthys said. “Is always a serious risk. If you keep taking the potion in rapid succession, you’ll find it harder and harder to change back. If that starts to happen, I’d recommend taking a break from potions for a little while, until the magic is completely clear from your system.” She’d done that once, and been forced to play invalid for two weeks before it was safe enough to begin again.

“Manage my time,” Gyrus nodded. “Got it. It can’t be harder than organizing Kodya’s finances.” Nephthys really wanted to ask. But she refrained in favor of communicating the final and most important piece of information.

“For some first time users, the transformation can be…unpleasant,” she added with a wince.

Gyrus looked up at her with mild alarm. “Was Tori…?”

“No, no.” Nephthys shook her head. “She was completely fine. Most are. But for some the psychological implications of losing their tail can be difficult to adjust to at first.”

Difficult. Wasn’t that the word.

\-----------

Nephthys grit her teeth as she neared a boat on the farthest edge of the oil slick. She would only have one shot at this, and she needed it to go perfectly. She slung her father’s bag across her body so her arms were free. Then she grit her teeth and approached the great blackness.

Nephthys thrust her head above the oil slick water, dark goop slipping into every crevasse from her hair to her eyes and as it sank in her gills she finally understood what drowning felt like. But she couldn’t stop now. She blinked it away, looking desperately for something, anything, to grab on to, or she would perish like the rest of her pod’s singers. There!

Her salvation was a medal ladder welded to the side of the boat. Reaching out a hand, she grabbed the lowest rung. The oil on her hand made it slippery and hard to grasp, but she held on with an iron grip born of desperation.

She grabbed the wrung above, hauling her body upwards gasping for breath. Her lungs screamed for oxygen that without gills she seemed unable to fully supply, but she ignored it in favor of reaching for the next wrung, and then the next one after that. Her tentacles, normally so helpful for climbing, hung limp as the oil began to eat away at their protective slime.

Nephthys didn’t know how she did it, but somehow she managed to pull herself all the way to the lower deck, collapsing against it as spots swum before her eyes, and with the last of her strength she wrenched her father’s bag open, an uncorked the bottle inside, gulping down the contents.

The change was instant. A bright light filled her senses, and Nephthys found breathing became easier as her gummed up gills disappeared. A strange, tingling sensation ran over her lower body, as her tentacles knit themselves together. As the light faded, she looked down to see them gone. In their place were two brown human legs.

She wiggled her new toes experimentally, they seemed to function normally, no signs of the damage the oil had done to her tentacles had apparently transferred. By all accounts, they were a pair of perfectly normal human legs.

Nephthys bowed her head, and wept.

\----------

“Gyrus! Get back here!” A sharp female voice called. Nephthys shook herself out of the memory as Gyrus looked at her guiltily. “I’ve got to go,” he said, pulling himself towards the curtain.

“I’ll help you,” Nephthys replied as she grabbed the handles of his chair and pushed him forward into the back. Tori, Sylvia, and Kodya all look up as they enter.

“Gyrus!” Tori is by his side in a flash. “Where have you been?”

“I was only in the front,” Gyrus rolled his eyes, “and besides. I wanted to ask Nephthys something.”

“What did she say to you?” Kodya demanded looking mildly alarmed. Nephthys felt slightly hurt. She wasn’t going to spill his obvious crush behind his back! She’d do it in front of him, through little in jokes said crush would hopefully not get.

“She explained more about the potion,” Gyrus said, launching into an edited version of what Nephthys had told him. Nephthys tried to listen, but felt a tug on her pant leg.

She looked down to see the fluffy haired siren had crawled out of the bath and was now sitting at her feet. She pointed at herself, then at Nephthys, and then made a flapping gesture with her hands that seemed to say, can we talk?

“Of course,” Nephthys smiled down at her. She cast a slight frown at the other three, Tori, Kodya, and Gyrus had apparently all gotten into a heated discussion about the potion and the job, with Tori solidly against it, Kodya against the job but not the potion, and Gyrus stubbornly insisting it was his choice. That looked like it was going to take a while.

She peaked back out the curtain. The desk would keep anyone from noticing Sylvia from the street, She should know, she designed it that way on purpose, and it would be a whole lot quieter. “How about you out here with me?” She offered, and Sylvia nodded, rolling her eyes at the others' nonsense.

Nephthys led the siren to the back of her desk and crouched down so they were both eye level. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked.

Sylvia began to gesture wildly, far too fast for Nephthys to understand.

“Stop,” she held up a hand. “I can’t understand you like that.”

Sylvia gave a frustrated groan as Nephthys looked around for some kind of solution. Her eye landed on an old pad and pencil she kept near the registry, and she pulled them out.

“Here,” Nephthys held them out to Sylvia. “Use these to tell me.”

Sylvia took the pad and pencil and began to draw in the thick, dark lines of someone who was used to using markers. Nephthys peaked over her shoulder, to see several rough sketches of sirens.

“Do you want to talk about your pod?” Nephthys asked. And Sylvia beamed. “Are Tori and Gyrus’ fights getting on your nerves?”

Sylvia’s face fell as she shook her head. She pointed at the pod on the pad, then at the curtain, and waved her hands to indicate no.

“They aren’t your pod,” Nephthys translated. “Do you want me to find them?” she guessed. Sylvia nodded.

Nephthys bit her lip. “Divining is tricky. I can’t guarantee I’ll find anything.” Even on her best of days her visions were confusing. And then she’d failed to predict the spill…she didn’t want Sylvia to get her hopes up.

Sylvia met her eyes, and Nephthys saw time rewind inside them. Monsters swam the clear seas, hunting and in turn were hunted by wild sirens in rudimentary armor. Strange sea witches in gleaming white would bespell the bones into plates for their warriors, while singers sang songs too beautiful to be confined by simple language. At night the pod would swim to the surface, unafraid of humans or ships, as their knowledge-spinner sang the emotions of their ancestors beneath strange stars.

They were beautiful. And they were gone. Their memory was frozen and stationary, and though Nephthys cast out her sight as far as she could, she could not see a trace of them anywhere in the world.

Nephthys felt her eyes well with tears. “I’m so sorry,” she said. Sylvia looked down at the floor, and her aura flickered a melancholy blue. She’d expected this, Nephthys realized. She’d just wanted it confirmed.

Nephthys bit her lip. She knew what that felt like. What would she have wanted someone to say to her? “It doesn’t stop hurting,” she started, and Sylvia looked up, eyes swimming with tears. “But overtime, you do find a new family, even if you have to make it yourself.”

She knew that better than anyone.

\---------

“What the?” a human voice made Nephthys stop crying. She looked up to see a human boy, about her age, maybe a bit younger, staring at her. His eyes traveled from her oil soaked hair to her new legs and back to her tear stained face. Nephthys gave a sniffle, and the boy jumped, releasing a string of words Nephthys didn’t recognize.

“Here,” he tore off his long shirt, what was the word? Jacket? And held it out to her with a blush. “To cover you, ah,” he looked away, clearly embarrassed. Nephthys took it, glancing down at her legs. She wondered how to put it on, slipping one of her new feet into one of the sleeves.

“What are you doing!” the boy cried, coming closer to tug the jacket off her leg. “It’s not a pair of pants! You put it around your waist! What is wrong with you?” He stopped suddenly, looking deliberately upwards over her shoulder.

Nephthys pulled the fabric tight around her waist. Marveling at its softness. The edges bled oil as they brushed against her legs, staining the whole thing black. She bit her lip, feeling tears well up.

The boy rose to his feet, determination blazing in his eyes. “Stay here,” he said, and took off moving almost as fast as the strongest warrior could swim. Nephthys stared after him, feeling completely bewildered, but in no more than a minute he returned, holding some fabric high.

“Here’s a pair of pants!” he called, pushing the fabric into her hands. “Now put this on while I look this way.” He turned his back to her. She slipped into the pants, one foot in one hole and the other in the other and pulled up, glancing at the boy for reference.

“Thank you,” she murmured as they came up. They fit awkwardly, so loose she had to tuck them under her plates to keep them up, but Nephthys didn’t care. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry about it,” the boy smiled. “I’m Kodya, what’s your name?”

“Nephthys,” Nephthys said, and the boy smiled.

\-----------

The bell rang at the shop door as Nephthys broke from the memory. She and Sylvia traded a look of pure fear, before Sylvia began to flop as fast as she could towards the back. Nephthys helped by all but shoving her behind the curtain before standing up to lie her head off to whatever customer showed up.

She needn’t have worried. It was only Knox, here for his daily dose of “love potion.” Nephthys would have felt bad about that, it wasn’t a real potion, just honey and lemon and some sugar water thrown in, but he wasn’t actually buying it for himself. Rather he was buying it for Alistair who was not allowed in Nephthys’ shop during work hours, after a flirting fail got a tourist to call the cops.

He took it without any confusion as to why Nephthys was apparently hiding under her desk, and went on his way. But Nephthys breathed a sigh of relief when he walked out of the door.

“Excuse me,” Nephthys spun around to see Tori standing in front of the curtain, looking nervous. Her shoulders straightened as she noticed Nephthys’ attention.

“I would like to apologize,” she began, “for my earlier rudeness, and thank you for the shelter and kindness you have shown me and my companions.” She gave a stiff half bow and nearly toppled over, clearly not used to doing so without a tail or the water to keep her steady.

“It’s nothing,” Nephthys waved a hand. “I didn’t have a chance to explain, and so it must have come as quite a shock. Besides,” she added when she saw Tori was about to protest. “Any friend of Kody’s is a friend of mine.” He had so few of them after all.

Tori shifted uncomfortably, and Nephthys raised an eyebrow. Did she not get along with Kody? He seemed fine with her when he talked about them all with Nephthys. Perhaps she was just still feeling guilty. She opened her mouth to reassure her, but Tori got there first.

“There is one thing I would ask of you,” she began, glancing back at the curtain and lowering her voice. “Do you have any great skill at healing?”

Nephthys raised an eyebrow. It had been a while since anyone had asked her of that. Most of her healing magic was tucked away in her potions, hidden as cold cures or natural headache relief. Her finer work was only sold to the organization, who claimed it was too dangerous for her to sell it on the street lest people become suspicious. But nonetheless…, “I do.” She confirmed.

Tori bit her lip as she stepped closer to Nephthys. “What I am about to tell you, you must not tell Gyrus,” she whispered. “But his mother, who has struggled with health since his birth, has taken a turn for the worst. She did not want him to see her, and so allowed him to go on this quest. If you have any way to help,-“ Tori’s eyes widened hopefully, “perhaps she could recover before Gyrus realized.”

Nephthys took a deep breath. “I’ll help if I can,” she said. “Gladly. But I’d need to examine her before I could determine a proper treatment.”

“That’s no problem!” Tori jumped in. “I can swim you to where we have stashed her. It’s not so far.” But Nephthys shook her head.

“If I were to treat her, she’d need to be brought to me,” Nephthys reluctantly explained. “And I can’t go out into the water.”

“Why not?” Tori pressed. “You’re a sea witch.” Nephthys stiffened and Tori noticed. “If the distance is a problem for tentacles, we could go slowly,” she offered, coming to a well-meaning, but completely wrong conclusion.

“I’m afraid that won’t work either,” Nephthys shook her head, a false smile on her lips. “You see, I can’t swim in my other form. The oil burn on my gills prevents me from breathing underwater.”

Tori flinched, and Nephthys felt her heart clench. She looked so guilty, and heartbroken. Nephthys wished she could do something to help. She knew how horrible it felt to be helpless.

\----------

The boy called Kodya led her along the side of the ship towards what he claimed was the captain’s office. Nephthys wasn’t certain what a captain was, but Kodya seemed pretty convinced he would be able to help her. “He’s known my dad for ages,” he reassured her. “He’ll know what to do.”

Nephthys privately disagreed, how could anyone help her when everyone she’d ever loved was dead or dying beneath the waves? But she kept this to herself.

Kodya noticed anyways, shooting her worried glances as he ushered her along. He seemed determined to keep her from looking at the water, planting himself firmly between it and her, and chatting about anything small that came into his head in an effort to distract her. It would be sweet, if he wasn’t so horrible at it.

Case and point: “your shirt is weird,” Kodya said. “Where did you get it?”

Nephthys touched her white plates, grown, carved, and be spelled from the finest coral skeletons she could find. “Nowhere,” she said. “I made it myself.” Proper plates for a proper sea witch. Her father had been so proud.

“Is it a Transformers costume?” Kodya asked, and Nephthys sensed a layer of hope in his voice.

“I don’t know what that is?” Nephthys said, and Kodya’s face fell. “I made it with magic,” she offered instead, hoping to cheer him up.

His head snapped to her, and he regarded her with mild alarm, until his eyes landed on her smile, and the concern melted into mild annoyance. “You’re pulling my leg,” he grumbled.

“I’m really not,” She giggled. “I’m a witch you see.” And a sea witch at that. Not that he was likely to believe her, since most of her kind stayed well away from humans. Speaking of which, a movement on the horizon caught her eye. Was that a pod gathering? What were they doing so close to the oil spill?

Her answer came as the most lovely song filled the air, full of mourning and heartbreak. Nephthys felt her own eyes tear up as her sorrow began to overwhelm her.

“Can you hear that?” Kodya stopped mid eyeroll, gaze fastened on the horizon. Nephthys was too overwhelmed to reply, and so he began moving towards the railing, movements slow and lethargic.

Later Nephthys would curse her own foolishness, for who among the siren and sea witch did not know what a trance looked like? But the truth was there was no way she could have seen it coming. Her own grief overwhelmed her, and besides, mourning chants are not supposed to be dangerous.

Kodya climbed over the railing, and too late Nephthys realized what was going on. She threw herself forward, but Kodya was already falling down into the oil covered water. She collapsed on the edge, half wanting to follow, but knowing neither form could face the dangers of the oil.

Helpless, she could only scream, as something below the water snaked towards him.

\----------

“I am sorry,” Tori said, and Nephthys’ attention focused on her and not on the past. “I did not mean to bring up painful memories.”

Nephthys gave Tori a false smile. “It was not your fault. You didn’t know.”

Tori looked like she was going to protest, but at that moment, a bright light surrounded Tori’s legs. Tori collapsed with a cry of shock, and as Nephthys blinked away spots she found Tori on the ground, towel still wrapped around her blue tail.

“Oh my,” Nephthys glanced at her watch, to find two hours had passed. “that has to be the shortest time I’ve ever seen. That piece of sea glass must not have been in the sea very long.”

Tori twitched her tail, looking pleased as she ran a hand over the burnt orange tips. “Your potion works well Nephthys, my tail is completely normal.”

“How lovely,” Nephthys giggled. A motion on the street caught her eye, a car on the otherwise deserted street. It didn’t stop, but it would only be the first of many as people began to get off of work. “We should probably get you back in the sea though,” she said.

“Aye,” Tori nodded. “There has been enough adventure today.” She pulled herself to the curtain and stuck her head inside. “My tail has returned,” she yelled. “I believe it is time to return.”

“Sure!” Gyrus pulled himself and his makeshift wheelchair out. Sylvia followed, leaving a trail of water in her wake.

“You can’t go out like that!” Kodya appeared behind them, looking harried. “We’re trying not to get caught and experimented on, remember?”

“Experimented on?” Nephthys raised an eyebrow. Kodya blushed.

“Well what else do you think the government’s going to do with them if they find them?” He snapped back.

You’d be surprised, Nephthys thought as she hid a smile behind her hand. “We can use the back,” she offered as Kodya shot her a frown. “Less people will be paying attention.”

Kodya sighed. “I’ll bring the truck around,” he grumbled as he grabbed his keys. Nephthys turned to the three sirens on her floor.

“Come back this way,” she said as she pushed open the curtain again. “The back door is in the back.” The three sirens groaned, clearly embarrassed they had to go backwards again. Nephthys led them to the back door, half hidden behind the workbench. It took a bit of time to move the bench, the three sirens' attempts to help had the opposite effect, but by the time it was free Kodya had already pulled up the truck.

From there it was a simple matter of helping Tori and Sylvia into the back of the truck, wrapped in towels to hide their towels. Gyrus’ wheelchair turned out to be a bit more of a challenge, and Kodya eventually decided to stick it in the backseat to avoid any odd questions from anyone who drove by them on the road.

Nephthys privately thought this was less about people wondering why a wheelchair was in the back of the truck with three people in a pool, and more to do with Gyrus’ earlier request. He was certainly ecstatic about it, clinging to the back of Kodya’s seat and chatting his ear off as he asked him how the car worked and what the steering wheel did.

Kodya for the most part answered calmly, but his whole face was bright red. Nephthys did not find this nearly as cute as before though, as she lost count of the times they very nearly died thanks to Kodya’s distraction. She was very glad when they arrived at the shore.

“Not here,” she stopped Kodya as he tried to pull in at the docks. “Go down a little farther, they’ll be less people.”

Kodya raised an eyebrow. “You mean that government issued beach? The one no one is allowed on?”

“It’ll be fine,” Nephthys reassured him. “I can get us in.” Kodya shot her a searching look, and Gyrus looked back and forth between them in confusion. Then Kodya shrugged and did as she requested.

The road was predictably blocked by a large gate, but that had never stopped Nephthys before. She got out and pulled a piece of plastic to the scanner. The gate opened with a rusty creak.

Kodya raised an eyebrow as she got back in the car. “Did you use your magic to fool it?” he asked as Gyrus leaned eagerly forward. Nephthys shook her head.

“Just borrowed something from our dear mum,” she said as she flashed a familiar badge at Kodya. “She doesn’t even know it's missing.” This was a lie, but Kodya didn’t need to know that.

Kodya opened his mouth, no doubt to tell her off. Nephthys raised an eyebrow, remembering several times he’d stolen the same badge to try and buy alcohol, or pet the puppies at Petco. Kodya shut his mouth and kept driving.

The single pier was empty, and perfect for their needs. Nephthys helped Tori to the edge while Kodya helped Sylvia. Gyrus attempted to wheel himself, but Kodya caught him before he tipped over. “We’ll need this dry,” he said as he pulled Gyrus out of the wheelchair. Gyrus pouted.

He waved at Nephthys. “I’ll bring you sea glass! Don’t forget!” he said, before wiggling out of Kodya’s arms and diving into the water. Kodya stumbled backwards and landed on his butt on the pier as Gyrus resurfaced. “Oops,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you okay Kodya?”

“Fine, Kid,” Kodya grumbled. Gyrus beamed.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” he cried. Tori called to him, and he swam off, only stopping to wave goodbye on the horizon.

Nephthys watched him go. “They’re wonderful,” she murmured. Wonderful for Kodya. He’d needed a bit of magic in his life, and although she couldn’t reveal it, she’d always hoped he’d find some.

Kodya turned to her, brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me about magic or mermaids or the sea? And be honest this time.”

Nephthys froze. _Oh no._  
\----------

Nephthys sat on the strange bench, Kodya’s shirt around her shoulders, and shivered. All around her conversation buzzed, some complaining about how this unexpected delay would affect the rest of their cruise, others bemoaning the unfortunate fate of the ocean, as if they had any conception of the depth of the cost. Still others whispered to each other behind covered hands, shooting Nephthys curious looks and calling her, ‘only survivor’ and ‘poor thing.’ Throughout it all Nephthys clutched the soft fabric around her shoulders, feeling numb.

A woman in sharp black strode forward, and Nephthys could tell from the way people moved out of her way that she was important. She stopped directly in front of Nephthys and crossed her arms.

“My name is Senator Karevic,” she said, voice clipped and smooth. “You were there when my son fell into the water, correct?”

“It wasn’t his fault!” Nephthys pulled the fabric closer around her shoulders. “He was helping me!”

“My son has already admitted to falling after he helped you, so you don’t need to cover for him.” Nephthys looked down, feeling oddly chastened, and the woman sighed. “He’s fine,” the woman added, face softening slightly as she met Nephthys’ eyes. “Would you like to see him?”

“Yes, please,” Nephthys said, knowing her guilt would not ease until she saw Kodya unharmed. The woman waved Nephthys to her feet, and guided her out of the crowded area and down a quiet hallway. Nephthys followed, still a bit unsteady on her new feet, as she tried to keep up with the woman’s quick pace.

“You’re a sea witch, aren’t you?” the woman said without preamble, as soon as they had passed out of earshot. Nephthys stopped dead.

“H-how?” she stuttered out, heart pounding in her chest and deafening her ears. That was supposed to be a secret, no humans were supposed to know.

“Your plates,” the woman said, back still turned. “I knew you were one of the sea folk from Kodya’s story, but I wasn’t certain which one until I saw them. To wear white at such a young age,-” the woman turned to face Nephthys, and Nephthys could see her eyes were wet, “-that truly is a great honor.”

Nephthys bit her lip. She knew no normal human would understand what a plate was, especially considering Kodya’s earlier reaction. “Are you - ?” she started, but was too afraid to finish, for fear of the answer she might get.

“I’m one of the sea folk, yes.” The woman confirmed, still looking sad. “There are more of us on land then you’d think.” She hesitated, then said, “I know this is hard, but I’m going to need you to tell me what happened to you, if you’re up for it.”

Nephthys burst into tears. Through her sobs, she managed to get the basic details, how her pod had been hunting when the great ship had come by, the singers thought they could sing it away, how it had spilled, how her dad had given her the last potion and told her to run, how he’d- he’d…

“I’m all alone now,” she sobbed. “My whole pod, gone.” Arms circled around her, and the woman pulled her close to her chest, rubbing soothing circles as she sobbed.

“Brave,” the woman murmured, “you’ve been so brave little pup, but it’s okay to cry.” She held Nephthys until her sobs died down into sniffles, before pulling slightly away.

“There’s an organization here that can help you,” she offered. “They helped me start over when I needed to. If you’d like, I can put you in touch with them, and they can find you a place to live where you don’t have to worry.” She hesitated again, before adding, “…or…”

“Or?” Nephthys prompted as she gave another sniffle.

“Kodya spoke highly of you,” the woman began, “and I know he’s lonely now I have to work so much. If you want, you could live with us. “Nephthys gasped and the woman rushed to continue. “We’d still put you in touch with the organization, you’d just have familiar faces at your new home.”

“Really?” Nephthys peaked up at her. “I could stay with you and Kodya?”

“Yes,” the woman nodded. “But,” she held up a hand, “before you agree, you need to know the conditions.” She looked Nephthys directly in the eye, and Nephthys suppressed a shiver at the hard determination hidden inside. “In my house you won’t be free to talk about magic or the sea. Kodya must never know. He does not belong in our world. If you live with us, you must understand this.”

“I- okay,” Nephthys looked down. A part of her was curious as to why, but the woman’s aura flickered a sad, sickly grey all around her, and Nephthys could sense that the reason behind that rule would be too sad for her to bear right now. She bit her lip.

“I would still be able to talk about magic when Kodya’s not there right?” she asked, and the woman nodded.

“Just provided he doesn’t overhear, yes.” Nephthys gave a sharp nod.

“Okay, then I want to live with you, and Kodya,” she said. She’d rather be around kind people than strangers, and besides, she didn’t think she’d be able to talk about the sea much for a while.

The woman looked mildly surprised, but she gave Nephthys a warm smile. “Then let’s go and break the good news to Kodya,” she said, and led Nephthys deeper inside the ship.

\----------

Nephthys bit her lip, wondering how best to get out of this situation without revealing secrets that weren’t hers and losing her home and family. “You remember where you found me right?” she began hesitantly.

“On our cruise ship,” Kodya nodded. “When we got stuck in the oil spill.”

“Yes,” Nephthys nodded. “I wasn’t actually from the oil ship. My pod was swimming below when the spill happened.” She pulled her knees up to her chin, blinking away the memories.

Kodya placed a comforting hand on her back. “Go on,” he pressed.

Nephthys took a deep breath. “My dad gave me the potion, he used to keep one on him at all times, so that if he needed an ingredient from the surface world he could go and fetch it. He said I was too young though, even though I was fully plated. When the oil began to spill, he gave it to me and told me to swim.”

Kodya swore in Russian, and Nephthys shot him an empty smile. “I climbed on the ship farthest from the spill, drank it, and you know the rest.”

Kodya was silent for a while, before he finally asked, “But why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped you.”

“You were plenty of help. Besides,” Nephthys drew in another breath. “I made a promise.” Not technically a lie, not yet.

“A promise?” Kodya asked, sounding lost.

Nephthys nodded. “It was a rule of my dad’s, ‘never get caught on the surface, no matter what.” Again, not technically a lie, but the conclusion she was hoping he would draw certainly was. Her dad had never made her make any promises about the surface world because he’d never let her go. And it wasn’t like he had time to sit down and explain when she’d had to flee.

“Oh,” Kodya looked down and withdrew his hand from her back, withdrawing into himself. “I see. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Nephthys reassured him, grateful he’d taken the bait. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry too.” More than he would ever know.

They stayed on the beach for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> teen Kodya: Everything in this town is so boring! Nothing ever happens here!  
> teen Nephthys (hiding her tenticles under the table): Nope! Nothing interesting at all!  
> teen Kodya (suspicious): You sound too happy about that, what do you know that I don't?  
> teen Nephthys (thinking fast): I know magic allowed me to steal _The Little Mermaid_ from the Disney vault? (pulls out disk)  
> teen Kodya: Really!!! (grabs disk) best day ever! (skips to tv room, completely missing Nephthys' tentacles)   
> teen Nephthys: ...   
> teen Nephthys: sometimes its just to easy.
> 
> Let me know what you thought of Kodya's mother.


	6. Ice Cream Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Gyrus learns of the luxuries of money, and an old high school bully shows her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cynthia = two  
> a thousand apologies to any Cynthias out there

Kodya did not like Gyrus’ new job at all. He couldn’t understand why Gyrus had wanted it so badly. Sure, firsthand experience would probably help him a lot, but not in Alistair’s shop. Aside from the obvious, it's Alistair, why would you willingly work for him? It was also the very place they’d all nearly been caught. When Gyrus had come back for the job, Kodya had been on edge the whole time that somehow Alistair would see through it all and sell Gyrus to an aquarium.

But surprise of all surprises, Alistair hadn’t really asked many questions at all, even to see Gyrus’ ID. In fact the only things Gyrus recounted him asking was if Gyrus knew how to use a cashier, and then walking him through the process when he admitted he didn’t. Even the half-baked lie Kodya had concocted about how Gyrus had recently recovered from a leg injury to explain the sudden lack of wheelchair had been accepted at face value.

The whole thing seemed strange to Kodya, and he couldn’t stop the niggling feeling that another shoe was going to drop at any moment. Because sure, Alistair was a world famous pervert who chased any attractive being that breathed, but he wasn’t an idiot. Surely he wouldn’t hire someone who popped out of thin air without at least checking their ID. He must have some kind of sinister plan up his sleeve.

But three weeks rolled by and Alistair did nothing. Gyrus began to settle into his job as a part-time cashier, smiling at the customers and befriending the other employees. Kodya tried to be there for him whenever he could, but he did need to fish, and so wasn’t around nearly as often as he wanted to be.

Not to say that Gyrus was always away from the sea, far from it. He still attended Kodya’s classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They’d moved on to letters now, and Gyrus was picking it up with his usual speed. In fact now that Kodya could now take the three mermaids on land for a field trip whenever he wanted, their productivity had increased. Nothing like trampling on land to show off something as fancy as a cow field or the local clothing chain store to get the minds moving it seemed.

Actually that last one had been a disaster. Their lack of understanding of human decency rules that led to some very close calls. Not to mention their horror when they saw the plastic bags used for clothes. He’d even had to physically drag Red away after someone tossed said plastic bag aside after her attempt to sing him into submission didn’t work. Kodya was never shopping there again, and had resolved to keep any topics that might become “problematic” book only from then on.

Still, Gyrus couldn’t attend class all the time, and couldn’t stay as long as Kodya remembered afterwards. And although Kodya was proud to say he hadn’t dropped to the level of Tori and Sylvia, who had taken to stalking Gyrus’ job to make sure nothing happened to him, he had to admit that the sea was a lot lonelier without the three multicolored heads constantly tailing his boat.

So when Kodya found himself with an unexpectedly large catch far earlier in the day than normal, he decided to call it a day and drop by the store to see how Gyrus and the others were. The bushes rustled as he approached, and Kodya rolled his eyes at Fluffy and Red’s antics. Had they gotten banned from the store already? They’d certainly left that detail out of the stories they’d told him.

He reached into the bush to pull out whoever was hiding inside with a, “stop being stupid,” to come face to face with a very frazzled looking Anan.

“Anan?” He gaped, as the man in question tried to straighten himself out. Why would Anan of all people be hiding in the bushes? “Is Oli still that mad?” he asked. The ice cream cart incident happened almost a month ago.

“No, no,” Anan brushed a few leaves off his shirt. “Oli and I are fine, even if he did fire me. But I got a new job that pays way better so it's all good.”

Kodya raised an eyebrow. “And your new job involves hiding in bushes?”

“What? No!” Anan shook his head and leaves fell from his hair. “My job is to help Don Santiago run his campaign for Mayor. Passing out fliers, helping him get in buildings that aren’t wheelchair accessible, stuff like that.”

Kodya felt his eyebrow climb even higher. “So you're handing out flyers in the bushes?” What did he do, jump out like some kind of deranged jack in the box? If this was this Don person’s campaign, then it was already in the dumpster.

“No!” Anan pouted. “Come on man, do I look like a psycho to you?” He shot a look around the block. “I saw the Numbers Gang come by while I was waiting, and dove for cover.”

Kodya stifled a flinch. “Are they really back in town?” he asked, trying not to sound calm as his heart sank to his stomach.

Anan nodded rapidly. “I saw them with my own eyes! Two and Three were walking right down the street!”

Kodya closed his eyes as images of his old tormentors crossed his brain. He took a deep breath and set it all aside. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “We’re not highschoolers anymore. They’re not going to be able to start a fight.” Anan looked unconvinced and Kodya added. “Besides, aren’t you working for a future mayor? They’d be idiots to mess with anyone involved in politics and risk bringing the police down on their heads.”

“You’re probably right,” Anan’s shoulders sagged. “Damn. And there was a really pretty girl in the store too. I hope she didn’t see me duck for cover.”

Kodya rolled his eyes at that little revelation and turned his attention to the store. He pushed open the door and began to walk towards the counter. Two people were in front of it. One was Feather who stood to the side looking bored, and Kodya suddenly realized how Anan had gotten the job, and the other was a man in a wheelchair that Kodya didn’t recognize, talking to Gyrus.

Gyrus hadn’t noticed him yet, too wrapped up in his conversation with the stranger. Kodya moved closer, hoping to catch his eye as Gyrus’ head tipped back in a hearty chuckle. But just as the Kid’s head began to lower, a hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him sharply behind the nearest shelf.

“What…?” he started to say, but a hand was shoved over his mouth. He followed the arm to see Fluffy on the other end, shaking her head.

“Be quiet!” Red hissed as she peaked around the corner of the shelf. “Did ye not see that suspicious man with Gyrus?”

Kodya frowned as he jerked a thumb at the person currently blowing bubble gum. “That’s just Feather. And they’re not a man.” They were strange though, Kodya couldn’t deny that. He well remembered Feather’s ability to appear, chilling, in seemingly impossible locations. Like the flagpole, or the fence, or that one time they’d spent the entire day on the principal’s hat and somehow gotten away with it.

“No,” Red shook her head. “Not the purple one, the one in the wheeled-chair!” Kodya blinked, taking a second look at the man as he laughed at something the Kid said. He didn’t seem odd to Kodya, he had a mustache, sure, but no one outside of kindergartners saw that as a sign of evil.

“What’s the problem?” He asked.

Fluffy pointed at Gyrus and back to the chair, and furrowed her brows in a way that seemed to say, _the same?_

Oh. Kodya pinched his brow to stop an oncoming headache. “He’s not a mermaid, he’s a politician. Not everyone in a wheelchair is secretly a mermaid.” Actually everyone in a wheelchair wasn’t a mermaid, with the exception of Gyrus.

Red scowled “We know that, we aren’t fools. But this man-,” she shook her head. “Something about him is off, but I can’t figure out what.”

Kodya fought the urge to roll his eyes. Red’s paranoia was acting up again. Then again, he paused as Nephthys tales of her father sneaking on land crossed his mind. It wouldn’t hurt to double check, just in case.

He spotted Anan peaking in the window. He supposed he could ask Anan about his boss, but how was he going to do that casually enough so he doesn’t have to explain why? Their eyes met, and Anan’s lit up. Oh no. He knew that look, it always meant trouble.

“Kodya!” Anan said as he pushed forward into the store. “Fancy seeing you here!”

“We were just talking outside,” Kodya pointed out, but Anan ignored him in favor of walking right up to Fluffy and Red.

“I’m Anan!” He beamed, reaching out a hand to Sylvia with his trademark lady killer smile. The one that sent girls screaming in the other direction. “Any friend of Kodya’s is a friend of mine!” Red jumped between the two, a scowl on her lips, and Kodya honestly couldn’t tell if it was her own paranoia or Anan’s terrible social skills that put her off.

Fluffy looked at Anan, who rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and then cocked her head at Kodya, _you have friends?_ Her expression said.

Kodya let out a deep sigh. “Sylvia, Tori,-” he gestured to both of them, “-this is Anan. He’s a classmate of mine. He works for the man in the wheelchair.”

“Does he?” Tori’s scowl deepened. “Tell me. What are the intentions of your leader?” Kodya facepalmed.

“You mean what his policies are?” Anan asked, back straightening. “He’s a real man of the people. His policies protect the local fishermen and tax the larger corporations that endanger our little bit of ocean here.” Fluffy leaned forward at the mention of environmentalism, and Anan visibly brightened.

Kodya raised an eyebrow at Tori to say, _see? Not a mermaid._

Red looked less convinced. “And where is he from?” She crossed her arms as she leaned in between Sylvia and Anan’s line of sight. Anan blinked.

“Here?” he frowned. “I mean, he was from Mexico, but that was ages ago.” He shot Kodya a look, asking, _what’s her problem?_

Kodya sighed. “She’s just wondering why we haven’t seen him around before.” He’d have to explain how that comment could be misinterpreted later.

“Oh!” Anan’s shoulders relaxed. “That’s probably because you hang out with Kodya, and he lives under a rock.” Kodya’s brow furrowed thunderously at that little comment. Not funny Anan. Sylvia cocked her head, clearly not understanding, and Anan hastened to continue. “And this town is way bigger than a lot of people think. You’re new so you’ve probably not met everyone yet!”

“What makes you say we are new?” Red pointed out. “If this town is as big as you say, and we hang out with Kodya, how would you know we hadn’t been here longer than you?”

“Ha!” Anan laughed and Kodya watched some of the tension drain from his shoulders. “You’re funny! Naw,” he shook his head. “I’d remember if you’d been in high school with us, I’d never forget someone as beautiful as you.” He directed the last part to Sylvia with a wink.

 _You already did you idiot,_ Kodya thinks as he rolls his eyes. Had he forgotten how they’d stolen his ice cream cart?

Apparently not, as the next thing Anan said was, “I don’t know if you remember, but we’ve actually met before. I lent you that ice cream cart remember?” His voice was full of hope.

Kodya froze. He glanced over at Tori and their eyes met as mutual panic filled them both. But Sylvia had it handled. She shrugged as she fluttered her eyelashes, and Kodya watched as any sense in Anan’s head filtered out under the weight of her big eyes. Thank god for her coercion skills.

“Anan?” A voice said, and everyone jumped. Kodya whirled around to see Feather had pushed the man in the wheelchair to their hiding place. “Who are your friends?”

“Don!” Anan turned, subtly trying to pick out additional leaves from his clothing. “I just saw Kodya and his friends here, and they wanted to know a little about your policies!” He gave a thumbs up.

“Really?” Don smiled, a warm and friendly smile. “Thank you for your support mes amigos.” Red studied him with narrowed eyes and he raised his brow, the picture of polite confusion. “Is something wrong?”

Tori shook her head. “Nay. I thought ye were someone I knew, but it seems I was mistaken.” Beside her Sylvia nodded along.

“That’s too bad,” Don gave her a sympathetic look. “It can be difficult to come to a new place where everyone is a stranger.”

Red threw up her hands. “Does everyone know we aren’t from here?”

“On the contrary,” Don smiled. “Your friend Gyrus mentioned he’d come here to stay with Kodya.”

“Did he?” Kodya tried not to let his excitement show. “What else did he say?”

Don gave a slight chuckle. “Oh this and that. He spoke highly of your tutoring in written English and American culture. And quite a bit about dinosaurs.” He added with a slight wiggle of his eyebrows. Kodya felt the heat creep over his face. Why had he taught the mermaids about something so childish?

“He listened to you rant about dinosaurs? And liked it?” Anan exclaimed, shock clear in his voice. “Kodya have you finally found love?”

“Shut up!” Kodya snapped, face red. Tori frowned, but Don simply looked amused.

Fluffy gave a slight frown, and tugged on Kodya’s sleeve to give him a puzzled look that said, _what’s wrong with dinosaurs?_

“Nothing,” Kodya grumbled, ears still burning. “It’s just not considered very grown up.”

Sylvia arched a single eyebrow full of disbelief and Kodya was suddenly reminded that she remembered when dinosaurs roamed the seas. It's probably not considered childish when the teeth as big as hands were trying to bite you.

“Oh you like dinosaurs too?” Anan rubbed the back of his head. “That’s pretty neat! You know I know a bit about them too if you ever want to hear some interesting facts!” Sylvia turned interested eyes on him, and Kodya had to hold back a chuckle. He doubted any of Anan’s knowledge could beat Fluffy’s actual experience, but it would be amusing to see him try.

“It seems you and your friends have some catching up to do Anan,” Don said, and Anan’s attention snapped back to him, guilt written all over his face.

“Oh sorry I-” he started, but Don held up his hand.

“It’s fine,” he said. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off and catch up?”

“Really?” Anan’s face lit up. “Thank you!” He beamed at Sylvia. “Looks like we can get acquainted!”

“There you go then,” Don smiled, cutting off Tori who looked like she was about to object. “Feather if you will?” Feather gave a nod, and began to push him forward. Just before they left, he held up a hand and Feather stopped.

“Oh and Kodya?” Don said, voice causal. “When is your mother coming back to town?”

Kodya stiffened. “I don’t know.” He spoke through gritted teeth. “She hasn’t said.” Not that she ever bothered to tell him anything. Anan shot a panicked look at Don, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Too bad,” Don shrugged, completely oblivious to how Kodya’s hands had balled into fists. “Give her my best if you see her.” He lowered his hand and Feather began to push him outside. Kodya didn’t move, back straight as a rod as he tried to keep from shaking..

A hand touched his arm, causing him to jump. He looked down to see Fluffy patting it gently. “Is something wrong?” Red asked with a frown, a sliver of concern on her otherwise stoic face.

Kodya shook his head, pulling himself out of a daze. “It’s nothing,” he said gruffly.

Anan gave a nervous laugh and slapped Kodya on the back. “Don’t mind him! He’s always grumpy! Why when we were in high school…” he started going on about some embarrassing story from high school that ordinarily Kodya would have objected to. But right now he was grateful for Anan’s chatter. It took the attention off him.

He pushed ahead toward the counter. Gyrus looked up, and his eyes lit up when he saw Kodya approach. “Kodya!” he exclaimed. Then his brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

Kodya shook his head. “It’s nothing. Really.” Gyrus bit his lip, then he reached into the pocket of the jeans Kodya had gotten him and pulled out several bills.

“Here,” he said, shoving the money into Kodya’s hands. “Alistair gave me this for the work I’ve done.”

Kodya stared at the solemn faces of the Benjamin Franklins as he did the mental calculations. “This is over five hundred dollars,” he gasped.

“Yes,” Gyrus ducked his head. “I know it's not a lot, but it's all I’ve got right now.”

“This...this is your whole salary!” Kodya gaped as it fingers closed over the fragile dollars. He raised his head to look Gyrus in the eye. “Why are you giving it to me?”

“It's exchange!” Gyrus grinned as he peaked through his bangs. “For all the tutoring you’ve given me.”

Kodya shook his head, still feeling disconnected from the whole situation. “I-I can’t accept this. This is way too much.”

Gyrus frowned. “It cost $1,749.99 for roughly the equivalent of your day’s work, and I’ve taken up way more of your time than a single day, so of course it's not enough.”

“Life isn’t a damn math problem!” Kodya growled as he shoved the money back in Gyrus’ hands. “I’m not going to take all your money. What do you take me for?”

Gyrus frowned down at the paper. “But what am I supposed to do with it?” He said. “It's not like I can take it back with me to the sea, and even if I spend it on something waterproof, I’d still have to carry it all the way back to the pod.”

“Then just spend it on something that you wouldn’t need to take back to the pod,” Kodya said with a shrug. “Something you could enjoy here.”

Gyrus cocked his head to one side. “What do you suggest?”

Kodya smirked. “How hungry are you?”

\-------------

Oli’s Ice Cream Parlor was one of the few wonders of their town, if Kodya did say so himself. Founded by a classmate of his from high school, the place had come from humble beginnings as Oli’s attempt to raise some extra money for college, and spiralled into the town’s biggest attraction in just six years. Which had been a bit sad for Oli, who’d been forced to stay local instead of going to a big name college, but Kodya was pretty sure the money made up for it.

The bell above the door jingled as Kodya pushed it open, allowing the others to come inside. The parlor was predictably packed, even though the tourist season was all but over. The line was extensive, and it had taken them a good half an hour waiting outside to reach where they stood now. They were met with a very harried Oli, ringing his hands.

“Kodya! He exclaimed, “Who are your -” his face fell as he made eye contact with Anan, “oh. Hi Anan.”

“Hey Oli!” Anan gave a nervous chuckle as he ran his fingers through his hair. “How’s business?”

“Business is booming.” Oli frowned with a look that very clearly said, _no thanks to you._ A bead of sweat ran down Anan’s back.

“We need a table,” Kodya said, jumping in before their argument could cause any problems. “I’m showing my friends around.”

The mention of friends was enough to make Oli to a double take, and Kodya felt mildly offended. He wasn’t that much of a loner.

“I’m Oli,” he smiled shyly. “Welcome to my ice cream parlor.” Sylvia beamed at him and Oli flushed. Both Anan and Tori frowned. _Oh no._ Kodya fought the urge to roll his eyes. Romantic drama was the last thing anyone needed right now.

“Thanks! I’m Gyrus!” said the ever oblivious Gyrus with a grin. “And these are Tori and Syliva!” He waved to the girls, “We’re very eager to try your ice cream.”

“Oh really?” Oli blushed. “I’m glad to hear it!” Then the smile slipped off his face as he looked down. “You’ll be waiting a long time though, all our party tables are booked all afternoon. The largest available only seats three.”

“Oh that’s fine!” Anan jumped in as Fluffy’s face fell. “We don’t mind splitting up!” He linked an arm with Sylvia, startling her. “Right Syllie?” He winked, and Sylvia’s face relaxed into a smile.

Red shoved between them, sending Anan tumbling backwards. “I will be joining. It was for three was it not?” She looked at Oli, who nodded.

“But what about you two?” he looked over at Kodya and Gyrus.

“We’ll eat outside on the curb,” Kodya shrugged. “Just bring it to their table and we’ll take it outside so we don’t clog the place up.”

“We don’t usually let people take the dishes outside,” Oli bit his lip. Kodya glanced between him and Tori, who was now positioning herself to better fend off Anan. He shot Oli a look that said, _you’re not going to leave me with them right?_

Oli sighed as his good heart beat his common sense. “But I suppose it will be ok, since I know you.”

“Thank you Oli!” Anan cheered, and Oli sent him a frown.

“Anything for Kodya’s new friends,” he said pointedly, and Kodya suppressed a grin. Looks like Oli was still mad about the whole losing the cart thing. He hoped Anan didn’t mention it and get them all in trouble.

Oli guided them to the small table for three before hurrying off to deal with another customer. Anan, Fluffy and Red all sat down while Kodya and the Kid stood awkwardly beside it. Anan pulled out the menus with a grin, “Don’t you girls worry about a thing!” He said as he leaned towards Sylvia. “I’m an expert on ice cream if I do say so myself!” Kodya rolled his eyes at that, even after pushing the cart around for three months, Anan had never understood the flavors unless a pretty girl was looking at him.

Tori looked over the flavors critically, and Kodya felt a rush of pride at how far her reading had come. “Is there nothing here with fish?” The pride vanished in a heartbeat as Kodya fought the urge not to facepalm.

“S-sure!” Anan said, clearly not willing to let Tori’s weirdness get in the way of his chances with Sylvia, who was watching him intently. “They’ve got the goldfish grind right here! It’s one of my favorites!” He pointed to one of Oli’s more experimental options. Red and Fluffy looked at it with interest, and Kodya wished he’d thought to explain the difference between real fish and goldfish. He hoped their reaction didn’t raise too many questions. Then again, he glanced at Anan, who was preening at the thought that Sylvia had taken his advice, Anan was too desperate to notice, so they were probably good.

“I’ll take -,” Gyrus mused as he looked over the menu, snapping Kodya’s attention to him, “- banana blast.” Kodya privately winced. The Banana Blast, with three slightly different flavored scopes of banana ice cream, fresh bananas, banana syrup and banana chips, could be...intense. Even for people who liked banana ice cream. He should probably warn Gyrus.

Then Gyrus looked up, a nervous smile playing on his lips as he asked, “What are you getting Kodya?” His shoulders were hunched, but his voice was full of the tentative pride of someone who had finally managed to order in a forgien language.

Kodya mentally swore in Russian. He couldn’t contradict the Kid now. He scanned the menu, looking for something that could soften the intensity of the banana flavor. “I’ll have,-” he paused to give himself some extra time, “-strawberry, -” he gave the menu a final glance. “- and chocolate.” There, they were both good with banana. Now if Gyrus didn’t like it, he could add his ice cream and the whole thing would be saved.

A sharp gasp caused Kodya to look up to the shocked face of Anan. “You’re ordering the Cupid’s Arrow? You?” Anan asked, jaw on the floor. Kodya blinked, and raised his eyes from the ingredients to the name of the dish. Sure enough, “Cupid’s Arrow” was written in bold letters.

“What is it?” Tori demanded, eyes narrowing as she surveyed the blush creeping up Anan’s cheeks. “Why is this strawberry so special?”

“It's not the strawberry,” Anan shook his head as both Fluffy and the Kid turned to face him. “It's the dish! That's the Cupid’s Arrow! It’s Oli’s most romantic dish!” He lowered his voice to a stage whisper as Sylvia and Gyrus leaned forward. “It’s said that anyone who eats it will find true love, and any couple who shares it will be together forever!”

“Are you trying to find love?” Gyrus asked with a slight wrinkle in his brow.

“No!” Kodya felt his cheeks flame red as Fluffy raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “I just thought strawberry and chocolate would be good together.” The three mermaids looked unconvinced, and Kodya grit his teeth. “Look, those superstitions about finding love? That’s nonsense. Just a marketing scheme to get lonely losers to buy something more expensive.”

“Oh a marketing scheme!” Gyrus piped up, looking relieved. “I know about those! That makes sense.” He nodded his head rapidly as if to dismiss any other assumptions.

“I wouldn’t be so dismissive.” Anan leaned forward. “Ragan ordered one, and she met Cib the next day! They’ve been together for ages!” Sylvia shot Kodya a wink.

“Do I need to supervise?” Tori added as she straightened her shoulders.

“That was a coincidence,” Kodya rolled his eyes, pointedly ignoring Red’s implications. “Their success as a couple is on them, not some ice cream Ragan ate once.” Anan looked like he was about to protest, but Kodya cut him off. “And you’ve eaten it right? You’ve never found love. So it doesn’t work.”

Anan looked down, cheeks darkening. Sylvia placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Tori crossed her arms at Kodya’s harsh words, but looked slightly mollified; now she knew Kodya wasn’t trying to trap any of them into a relationship.

“There’s no need to call anyone out,” Gyrus frowned. Kodya bit his lip.

“I’ll get the ice cream,” he grumbled as he escaped to find a waitress and place the orders. She nodded and spun away, and in a matter of minutes their ice cream was ready to go out. Really, Oli’s place was fantastic, Kodya thought as he stared at the five ice cream sundays in front of him.

The Cupid’s Arrow was a frilly, sappy thing. The ice cream was sculpted into a chocolate strawberry swirl of a heart and covered with little sugar angels and candy hearts, complete with a little chocolate bow and arrow sticking out the top. A part of Kodya wanted to throw it out rather than be caught eating this monstrosity. _But,_ he thought as he glanced at Gyrus’s yellow mess, _I didn’t get this for me did I?_  
Gyrus looked up at him and smiled, and Kodya felt his insides melt like the ice cream in his hands.

“This fish looks very strange,” Red lifted a goldfish with a spoon and eyed it suspiciously. “Are you sure it's good?” Beside her Fluffy took a hesitant bite, and pulled back as her teeth touched the cold medal.

“Time to go, Kid,” Kodya said as he hauled his ice cream dish into the air. He’d leave brain freeze for them to sort out on their own. “Grab your ice cream and spoon.”

Gyrus picked up his Banana Blast gingerly and hurried after Kodya. Together they navigated through the crowd until they reached the outside.

As soon as the sunlight hit his shoulders, Kodya felt himself relax. The street was unsurprisingly empty, as it was nearly the end of summer and the tourist season was drawing to a close. He took a seat on the curb of the street, and motioned for Gyrus to do the same.

“Keep your ice cream off the ground,” he cautioned as Gyrus’s clumsy attempt to copy him nearly caused his ice cream to spill. Gyrus adjusted his position with a sheepish look.

“I guess I’m still not great at the finer motor functions legs require,” Gyrus offered. Kodya snorted.

“I think you’re just clumsy.” He said as he pulled out his spoon. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Gyrus copy him.

He took a spoonful and brought it to his mouth, letting it melt on his tongue. The cool sweetness was refreshing in the heat. Huh. He thought as he savored the rich, sweet flavor. The strawberry had been a good choice. He’d have to remember that.

He glanced back over at Gyrus who was still staring at his ice cream in curiosity. As soon as he turned his head, Gyrus hastily shoved the spoon in his mouth, and winced.

“It's so cold it burns my teeth!” he cried. “Is it supposed to do that?”

“No,” Kodya chuckled, and Gyrus pouted. “You’re not supposed to let it touch your teeth. Keep it on your tongue.”

Gyrus took another hesitant bite, this time without wincing. “So this is banana?” he said as he moved the flavor around his tongue.

“That’s what artificial banana tastes like,” Kodya corrected. “Here,” he poked the fresh banana with the tip of his spoon. “This is the actual fruit.” Gyrus took a bite of that next, and gave a contemplative hum.

“They taste really different,” he mused. “Why is that?”

Kodya shrugged as a small breeze ruffled his hair. “I have no idea. It was someone’s idea in some company, ages ago.”

“It’s strong,” Gyrus said as he took another bite, “and sweet.”

“Yeah,” Kodya agreed, grateful for his foresight. He dug a generous portion of his strawberry ice cream and held it up to Gyrus. “Try it with some of this.”

Gyrus blinked at the ice cream, and then bent his head to encompass the whole spoon in his mouth. Kodya felt his ears burn as Gyrus pulled back, beaming. “That’s really good!”

“I-I meant take some of it and put it on the banana, to mix the flavors,” Kodya stuttered, face completely red. He absently pulled the spoon closer to his chest, trying not to think about indirect kisses and Anan’s predictions about sharing the ice cream. He wasn’t in high school anymore.

“Oops,” Gyrus laughed, sounding entirely unrepentant. He reached out his own spoon to steal a bit of strawberry off of Kodya’s dish. “So I just add this with my own?”

“Yeah,” Kodya said, still feeling like he was floating on air. He shook his head to clear it as Gyrus used the opportunity to sneak a bit of chocolate too. Kodya frowned. Two could play at this game. “Just like this,” he said as he picked up half the banana on his spoon and distributed it back on his own ice cream.

“Hey!” Gyrus pouted. “I’ve only got so much banana fruit!”

“Too bad,” Kodya smirked as he spooned a piece of his newly acquired banana up to his mouth. “You’re taking my ice cream, so I get something in return.”

“Then you give me back the rest of the fruit, and take half of this ice cream instead,” Gyrus wheedled, leaning forward with spoon at the ready. Kodya paused, pretending to think it over as Gyrus frowned.

“Fine Kid,” Kodya shrugged as he deposited the remaining banana back on his dish and scooped up a bit of the banana ice cream instead. Gyrus lit up, happily dividing the ice cream down the middle, beckoning Kodya to let him do the same to his. Kodya let him, nerves tingling as Gyrus’ hair brushed against his nose as he leaned close. It smelled faintly of strawberries, and Kodya tried very hard not to breathe in like a creep.

“There!” Gyrus looked up at him, face inches away, and Kodya could see a dollop of ice cream at the edge of his mouth. The whole world seemed to come into hyperfocus, and in one instant Kodya could see everything. The way the breeze pushed Gyrus’s bangs just slightly to the right, the flecks of magenta in his eyes, the black clad figures sneaking up behind him…

Wait what?

“Move Kid!” Kodya snapped as Cynthia Numbree swung her handbag at the back of his head. Gyrus ducked just in time, and the spiked leather flew harmlessly above.

“Cynthia what the hell?” Kodya was on his feet in an instant, glaring at the woman in question who twirled her handbag as her brother leered over her shoulder.

“Oopsie,” Cynthia smirked. “And my name’s Two Pretty Boy, or has our long separation made you forget?” She pouted as she fingered the edge of her favorite chain, still looped at her side. Kodya stiffened at the motion. He knew a threat when he saw one. Her brother noticed, and his lear increased.

“That hurts my feelings.” she continued, her voice grated like sandpaper on Kodya’s ears. “But then again,” she shrugged as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I suppose it can’t be helped. Anyone would forget their own name if they were trapped in a little town like this.”

Kodya rolled his eyes, trying his best to feign composure and disinterest, and none of the old fear from highschool. “If you don’t like it here, you’re welcome to go back to the rest of the world.” He replied, keeping his voice flat. _And never come back,_ he added internally.

“And why don’t you come with me? A Pretty Boy like you doesn’t deserve to rot in a place like this.” She smiled, lips razor sharp.

“You’re still not my type,” Kodya scowled. Cynthia drew back like he’d struck her, all traces of fake joviality gone.

“Fine,” she spat. “Three!” Her brother stepped forward, swinging a sharp blow straight at Kodya’s head. He side-stepped easily, but He already had another blow coming, at his stomach. Kodya tried to block, but his hands were still holding the ice cream, and he didn’t want to break Oli’s dishes over something as stupid as the Numbers Gang.

“Wha -” Her brother cried as he suddenly pitched forward. His swing went wildly off mark, missing Kodya completely. The same alas, could not be said for his head, and his spiky mullet sent the dish flying out of Kodya’s hands. It landed on the cold concrete with the sharp tingle of shattering glass.

“You tripped me!” Cynthia’s brother cried as he pulled himself up to his knees, glaring at Gyrus. “Who does that?” Gyrus trembled under his gaze, but refused to move away.

“You broke private property,” Kodya stepped between them. “You’re going to have to pay for that.”

“You tripped me into it! It was a complete accident! That you caused!” Cynthia’s brother protested. Kodya eyed his mullet with distaste. From this angle, he looked like a whiny child caught by the cookie jar, and not at all like the threat he’d been in High school. Distantly, Kodya realized that he’d never even bothered to learn his real name.

Cynthia let out a harsh peal of laughter, snapping Kodya’s attention back to the real threat in the vicinity. Unlike her brother, Cynthia was not someone he could afford to take lightly. “And who’s going to make us?” She sneered. “Oli? We both know he doesn’t have the guts.”

“I’m sure the sheriff will have something to say,” Kodya remarked dryly. Because they weren’t kids anymore, and it's time she realized that.

“Yeah!” Cynthia’s brother agreed, still sounding outraged. “Because you tripped me into glass! That’s dangerous!” Both Cynthia and Kodya ignored him.

Cynthia broke into another round of giggles and Kodya felt his skin crawl. “Please, the sheriff can’t do squat without a witness. It’s my word against yours. And no one’s going to believe a criminal’s son.”

Kodya’s blood boiled at that little comment. But he bit his tongue. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have done it in front of a whole store of witnesses.” He jerked his head towards the window.

“And who in there is gonna speak up against us?” Cynthia flipped her hair. “Anan?” Anan? Kodya turned his head to see Anan frozen in the window, arms laden with napkins he’d clearly gotten for Sylvia and Tori. Their eyes met and Kodya felt his heart sink. There goes any hope of rescue.

“You know he dove into the bushes just to keep from meeting us?” Cynthia continued. “He won’t do a thing. Who’s left?” She poked him in the chest and Kodya suppressed a shutter of revulsion as her razor sharp nail cut through his shirt. “You? We both know you couldn’t beat me in a fair fight darling.”

“Leave him alone!” Gyrus shouted, raising himself to his feet. Cynthia’s attention snapped to him and he glared back, eyes burning with a fire Kodya had never seen before.

“What are you going to do little rat?” She sneered. “Can’t you see we’re having a conversation?”

“He tripped me into glass!” Cynthia’s brother warned. “Don’t underestimate him! He fights dirty!”

“Oh please,” Cynthia rolled her eyes as she pulled out her chain. “He’s just like every pretty toy the Kaverics bring home.” She smiled. “He won’t last a second against someone swinging a fist.”

Kodya’s fist was in the air before he quite knew what had happened, but somehow Gyrus was quicker, eyes blazing with a strange magenta fire. **“I said you will leave us alone,”** He growled in a strange, echoing tone that sent shivers up Kodya’s spine. It sounded unnatural, like listening to a voice playing back through static.

Cynthia turned like a doll on a string, hands swinging lifelessly at her sides as she marched like a soldier down the street and away from them.

“Two?” Her brother called as he raised himself to his feet. “Two!” He hurried after her, down the street and into the setting sun.

Kodya watched them go, his old fury giving way to a swell of pride. “You’re getting good at that!” He turned to Gyrus, a smile on his lips. “I guess all this training really has helped your singing!” When Gyrus didn’t respond, Kodya shook his elation off to focus on the man before him.

Gyrus was standing frozen, body still tense. The strange pink and purple fire had drained from his eyes, leaving them hollow and scared, and Kodya could see his hands were trembling around the ice cream dish.

“Hey,” Kodya reached out a hand, and Gyrus jumped, eyes snapping to Kodyas. Kodya bit his lip. “Are you okay?” He asked, feeling his brow wrinkle.

Gyrus gave him a tight grin. “I’m fine,” he said, bumping his arm against Kodya’s hand as if to try and reassure him. “That was just...I don’t know. It’s nothing.” He looked down at his feet.

Kodya brushed his fingers along Gyrus’ arm, feeling the goosebumps beneath. “You’re cold,” he murmured. “I could get you something. A warm drink maybe? Oli probably has something.”

Gyrus shook his head. “No, we’ve done enough to Oli’s stuff.” He eyed the remains of the Cupid’s Arrow as the ice cream melted on top of the shattered glass, pink and brown reflecting in the pieces like an obscure work of modern art.

“Yeah,” Kodya winced as he remembered how long Oli had been mad at Anan for. “I’ll pay for it,” he offered.

Gyrus shook his head. “No, I tripped him. And I have money now, I should be the one to pay.” Kodya opened his mouth to protest, but Gyrus continued. “Isn’t that what you said I should use the money for? Stuff I can't take with me to the water?”

Kodya sighed. He supposed that was true. Still. “I meant for you to have fun with it, try different foods and stuff. Not pay off the damages from a bunch of good for nothing thugs.” Gyrus hung his head and Kodya pulled his arms tightly around himself, feeling he’d failed somehow.

They stood like that for a minute, as Kodya desperately wondered what he could say to fix it. Finally Gyrus spoke up. “The grocery list, you buy that to make food at home right?”

“Don’t tell me you want to pay for that too,” Kodya pinched the bridge of his nose. Gyrus shook his head.

“Not entirely,” he said. “But if we got ingredients and made food at your home, we’d have less chance of being interupted by thugs right?” He peaked up at Kodya through his bangs.

Kodya beamed.

\---------------

Kodya fell on his bed, burying his head in his pillow to prevent him from giggling like a teenager. Gyrus was coming over to his house! To eat a meal he prepared! And Syliva and Tori too, he supposed. They’d be tougher to please, if Anan’s comments had been anything to go by. But Kodya wasn’t worried. He’d cooked for his Mother in high school as her job took up more and more of her time, and for Nephthys when she’d joined. Both of them had the weirdest tastes, and if he could please them, he could please anyone.

They’d be coming over on Gyrus’ next day off, which was in two days. Plenty of time for Kodya to get all the supplies, and raid his mother’s house for any kitchen tools he needed that he didn’t own. Nephthys wouldn’t mind, and it's not like his mother was in town to care. He rolled over, ideas of dishes bouncing around in his head.

His phone buzzed, and Kodya reached a lazy hand to check it. It was probably Nephthys, and he knew from experience the more he ignored her the more she’d call.

He flicked open his texts, and froze. Heart sinking to his stomach as he read the words that sealed his doom.

_Mother: I am returning to town. Saturday. Will be joining you and Nephthys for dinner. Feel free to invite friends._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teen Anan pokes head out of trashcan: Hey  
> Teen Kodya pokes head out of trashcan: Hey  
> Tean Anan: What did you do?  
> Teen Kodya: Turned down Two. You?  
> Teen Anan: spilled milk on three.  
> Teen Kodya: On purpose?  
> Teen Anan: Yeah  
> Teen Kodya: Sweet.
> 
> Post note:  
> These chapters are gonna come out a bit slower now grad school is starting up sorry


	7. Trouble for Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kodya's mother arrives and Kodya and Nephthys find they have a few unexpected guests for dinner.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Kodya. He was completely average as far as little boys go. He loved all animals, but dinosaurs were his favorite. He loved to go to the beach with his parents, even though he couldn’t swim. His father loved to oblige him, taking him out on the fishing boat and reassuring him that not knowing how to swim was actually good luck for a sailor. His mother however, rarely came to the sea, often claiming her long work hours as the reason for her absence. But that was fine. Kodya knew she worked hard to provide for them. His parents loved him and each other. They told him so. And like every little boy, he believed his world was perfect.

\---------

Kodya did what he always did when he panicked. He called Nephthys. “We’ve got a problem!” He snapped into the receiver, not even bothering to say hello. “Mother is coming home! Saturday!”

“She’s what?” Nephthys cried, and Kodya heard the distant clang of something falling to the ground. “She didn’t say!” Nephthys sounded a little hurt. Ouch. Kodya would be lying if he said he didn’t feel a rush of jealousy as he was reminded that Nephthys talked to his mother more than he did.

“Well she told me,” he said through gritted teeth. “And it's worse than that.”

“Worse? How?” Nephthys cried, and Kodya drew in a sharp breath.

“She told me to invite _friends,”_ he hissed, placing all his emphasis on the last word. _“Friends_ Nephthys, don’t you see? She knows!”

“No!” Nephthys cried, her voice going higher. “She can’t! There’s no way! I didn’t tell her anything!” The fear in her voice made Kodya’s own fear grow stronger. He dimly wondered why he always called Nephthys in these situations.

“Well she figured it out somehow.” Kodya began to pace around the house. “She knows about the Kid and Fluffy and Red…” Nephthys gave a slight gasp, and Kodya stopped pacing. “You gasped.” He snapped, as he suddenly remembered why it was he always called Nephthys in these situations. “Nephthys what did you do?”

“I might have mentioned your dolphins,” Nephthys began, guilt lacing her voice. “And how I suspected you’d met someone you were too embarrassed to introduce me to, since you started bringing sea glass with the flimsy lie of a dolphin getting it for you.”

“You told her what?!” Kodya cried, as a rush of heat turned his cheeks red, even in the privacy of his own home. “Nephthys!”

“Now, now!” Nephthys chastened. “This is a good thing! She only knows you had a possible boyfriend, nothing about mermaids at all! We can work with this!”

“How?” Kodya ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “She knows the Kid exists! What do you want him to do? Pretend to be my boyfriend to throw her off the scent?” And if Kodya had been any less terrified, he’d probably be blushing at the mere thought.

“Absolutely not!” Nephthys said sharply. “We can’t have her anywhere near them, or she’d figure it out in a heartbeat. No,” and Kodya could hear the rustle of her hair as she shook her head. “We need to do the opposite. Play it off like it didn’t work out, he moved away, or wasn’t interested, and you don’t want to talk about it.”

“So you want me to play the loser to get pity, is that it?” Kodya grit his teeth once more.

“Exactly!” Nephthys said. “That way she won’t press.” And Kodya really would have liked to protest this plan, but he had to admit it would work. His mother would be unlikely to press him on such a messy subject. She’d never liked talking about love.

“Fine.” He sighed. “I’ll tell the mermaids to postpone, and we’ll play up the dumped boyfriend card.”

“That’s the spirit!” Nephthys cheered. “I’ll start getting the house ready right away!”

\----------------

It was on a fishing trip that Kodya first realized his world wasn’t as perfect as he’d thought. It had been a lovely day, clear skies up ahead and a soft breeze ruffling through Kodya’s short hair. There had been a seal on a buoy, the biggest one Kodya had ever seen, staring back at them across the water. He, and Kodya knew it was a he for some unknown reason, had looked so intelligent that when it had opened its mouth Kodya had leaned over the edge of the boat, almost in a trance, to hear what the seal would say.

Cold water splashed against his face, starling Kodya as he pulled back into the boat. His mind trying to catch up with what had just happened. A sharp “chip!” noise came from the spot he had just taken, and Kodya saw the cheeky grin of a dolphin smiling back at him.

Bang! A sharp noise knocked Kodya’s head forward as he gripped his ears in pain. The dolphin gave a slight cry and slipped down into the water, a small smoking hole in its pretty grey skin. “Kodya!” His father rushed to his side, gun held aloft.

“You killed him!” Kodya cried, nausea rising in his stomach.

His father frowned, like he couldn’t understand why Kodya was making such a big deal of it. “The dolphin could have hurt you. It was wild.”

“But you aren’t supposed to kill dolphins!” Kodya pressed, feeling his eyes begin to tear up as he looked at the creature’s still floating corpse. “They’re protected!”

His father snorted. “No one really cares about those laws, Kodya, you’d be surprised how many of those so called activists will pay to eat a dolphin just like the one I shot today.” His brow furrowed as Kodya tried to blink away tears. “Don’t go crying Kodya. We’re fishermen, you’re going to have to get used to this if you want to make any kind of living. You hear me?” He gave Kodya’s shoulder a small shake.

“I hear you,” Kodya gave a slight sniffle, rubbing away his tears with the back of his hand.

“Good,” his father said. “Now help me get that thing in the net. We might as well make some money off of it.” Kodya gave a dismal nod and began to do as his father ordered. As he lifted his head he saw the seal was still watching him from across the water. The seal watched him, a deep, angry coldness in his black eyes. And Kodya had looked away, ashamed.

\---------------

Kodya checked the kitchen once again. Mess, cleaned up. Food, he paused to stick his pinky in the mash potatoes. The flavor burst in his mouth. Hmmm, he moved it around his tongue. Did it need more herbs?

“Nephthys?” He called. She came barreling into the kitchen, still fixing her hair into a slightly fancier ponytail than normal.

“Is something wrong Kody?” She asked as she pulled her hair through the final loop. Kodya took a spoon and held up the mashed potatoes.

“How’s it taste?” He asked. Nephthys grabbed the spoon and stuffed it in her mouth, one hand straightening her white blouse.

“Oh!” Her eyes widened. “This is really good Kody!”

“Good,” Kodya began scooping the mashed potatoes into a dish with a spoon. “How’s the table looking?”

“Already set up,” Nephthys replied as she glanced back out of the kitchen to check just in case. Kodya nodded and carried the mashed potatoes to the dining room, placing it on their best lace tablecloth. He absently straightened the edges, careful not to upset the fine china on top. Technically, he didn’t have to do anything that didn’t have to do with the kitchen, since he didn’t live here anymore. As Nephthys put it, ‘I made the mess, I should clean it up.’ But that age old instinct was still present to make sure everything was perfect for his mother’s return.

“She’s late,” Nephthys bustled into the dining room, casting an anxious look at the clock. “She’s never late.”

“Maybe she got held up,” Kodya replied as he tugged at the collar of his best button up. Nephthys shook her head.

“She’s never held up,” she said. “Something must have happened,” Kodya was about to protest that his mother could handle herself when the doorbell gave a sharp _clang._

Both Nephthys and Kodya jumped. Nephthys hurried around the table towards the door, but Kodya was closer. He pulled the door open, to see his mother standing on the other side, arms folded.

It would never stop being weird to Kodya that he was taller than his mother now. At 5’9 and stout from a life of lifting weights and bearing Kodya, she was no petite by any means. But that didn’t make it any less weird that his eye level was with her hair.

“Hello Kodya,” she said, hair shifting slightly as she moved her head to peak over his shoulder, “Hello Nephthys.” Kodya lowered his own eyes to meet hers, wide and black and so very different from his own. Everything was different between them really, except the coarse brown hair they both shared. Kodya had always taken more after his father. Sometimes he wondered if his mother resented him for it.

“Hey,” he said, instinctively hunching his shoulders. His mother frowned, lifting a hand to touch his cheek.

“Your hair has gotten longer,” she murmured as she ran her fingers through it. Kodya leaned into the touch, enjoying the sensation.

“I like it long,” he said softly, eyes half closed as his mother continued to pet his head. For one moment, everything was right in the world. Then, because nothing ever seemed to go his way, a flash of green caught his eye.

Kodya jerked his head upwards, and his mother stepped back in alarm. “Kid?” Kodya cried, as Gyrus appeared behind his mother, hauling a familiar suitcase up the path.

“Kodya?” Gyrus gasped, taking a step back as Tori and Sylvia came up behind him, each with another piece of luggage.

His mother looked between Kodya and Gyrus. “Do you two know each other?” she asked. Behind him Kodya could feel Nephthys stiffen.

“What are you _doing_ here Kid?” Kodya demanded, confusion and anger overriding his own panic. Gyrus gave a sheepish smile.

“Well, you said you were busy today, so I switched days off with Maria so we’d have another free.” Kodya raised an eyebrow and Gyrus continued hastily, “then we met this lady outside and her car had broken down, and she needed our help to move her suitcases while the truck took her car away.” Beside him Fluffy hauled one of the suitcases in the air and flexed her muscles.

“You said you would be busy with your mother,” Red added, crossing her arms as a note of accusation entered her voice. Gyrus jumped, panicked hands moving to try and signal Tori to stop talking. Tori ignored him.

Kodya facepalmed, wondered what horrible thing he had done to anger the universe to cause such an implausible coincidence to happen. “This _is_ my mother. Who I’m having dinner with. Right now.” He gestured to his mother, who crossed her arms.

Tori turned as red as her hair and Sylvia’s mouth fell open. Gyrus pushed between them, no doubt attempting to run damage control before anyone else got insulted. “Hello!” he said as he stuck out his hand, and Kodya was suddenly very grateful working in the service industry had taught Gyrus basic manners. “I’m Gyrus!”

“Senator Karevic,” she replied as she gave Gyrus’s hand a firm shake. “Pleased to finally meet a friend of my son’s.” Kodya winced at that, it was looking like it was going to be harder and harder to get out of this. He shot Nephthys a look, _do something!_ He silently pleaded.

“It’s so kind of you to help!” She said with false cheer. “And of Alistair to let you help for a few minutes!” _Please take the hint and go back to work._ Her eyes said.

“Oh my shift was already over,” Gyrus gave a half laugh, completely missing how Nephthys’ face fell. “Apparently Maria doesn’t work as late as I usually do.” Behind him Sylvia frowned, seeming to notice something was wrong.

“Why don’t you come in and join us for dinner?” Kodya’s mother smiled her winning smile, the one she used for campaigns and parent-teacher conferences. “We’d love the company.”

“We wouldn’t want to be a burden,” Tori hesitated, and Kodya felt hope rise in his chest.

“Nonsense,” Kodya’s mother shook her head and Kodya felt his hope shatter into a million pieces. “We would love to have you. Right Kodya?” She raised an eyebrow in a way that made it very clear that Kodya was going to agree, or offer up a very good reason as to why not. Kodya bit his lip.

“We’d love to have you,” he said through gritted teeth, then added, “Nephthys, why don’t you help Mother move upstairs, since you know the new layout best.”

“Yes!” Nephthys sang, snatching the suitcase right out of Gyrus’ hands. “Let’s go on up!” She pulled it forward with an unexpected strength, forcing Kodya’s mother to hurry after her. “We’ll just be a minute!” She hollered while she shot Kodya a look that said, _get them to behave while I’m gone._

Fluffy placed a hand on Kodya’s arm, furrowing her brow in a silent question. Kodya took a deep breath.

“You aren’t supposed to be here,” he started, shaking off Sylvia’s hand. All three mermaids froze.

“Is something the matter?” Gyrus asked, finally beginning to read the writing on the walls.

“Yes,” Kodya growled. “My mother is here. My mother who is in the government. Who. Can. Not. Know. About. Mermaids, or she’d have to report it! This is the absolute worst place for you to be! What were you thinking?”

“That’s hardly fair.” Red scowled. “How were we supposed to know? She looks far too old to be thy mother.” Gyrus’ eyes widened with realization, and Kodya would bet money that he hadn’t explained the differences of human and mermaid aging to Tori. He looked down.

“Look, it doesn’t matter,” Kodya pinched the brow of his nose. “What matters is you’re here. And as long as you’re in the same room, you can only talk about human things, understand? Nothing that could give you away!”

“So numbers and ice cream and stuff like that?” Gyrus asked as he tapped his chin. “Like making small talk with Maria and Knox.”

“Yes! Exactly.” Kodya pointed a finger at him. “From now on, you’ll do most of the talking. The rest of you,” he cast a sharp look at Fluffy and Red, “stick to subjects you know. If you’re not sure, don’t talk at all. Got it?”

Red nodded, but Fluffy frowned. She opened her mouth and hummed a few bars before cocking her head to the side to say, _why don’t we just sing her into forgetting us?_

“Absolutely-” Kodya began, but was interrupted by Nephthys crying out.

“We’re back!” As she came down the stairs. 

“-Time for dinner,” he Kodya straightened, trying to look as nonchalant as he possibly could. As if that was all they’d been talking about. “Please,” he added through gritted teeth. “Take a seat.”

Gyrus, Tori, and Sylvia all awkwardly climbed into the chairs around the table. They didn’t have much grace, but at least they only looked like mannerless idiots and not fish without a clue how anything worked. Kodya sat carefully in his own seat, holding his arms close so he didn’t bump the elbow of Gyrus to his left. It was strange to have the table so full. The only time it had been this crowded had been when they’d had neighbors over when Kodya had been small. But those had come to a stop thanks to his father. Kodya’s brow furrowed at the memory.

\--------------

Kodya was ten when his father got sick. It was a long, slow sickness that took over a year to kill him. It started with coughing, then throwing up. Some days would be good, and he’d be almost better. But other days he could barely rise from the bed. Mother started to be around a bit more, to care for Kodya, she said, making sure his meals were cooked and he went to school on time.

Kodya was glad to see his mother more often, but he almost wished she wouldn’t. Because when she was home, it was only a matter of time before she and father got into a fight. The house would rattle as angry words would fly back and forth. Kodya would huddle in front of the TV, volume turned high as it would go, and let the Transformers drown out all other sound.

Sometimes Mother would come down to breakfast with makeup that was thicker than normal. But even then, Kodya hadn’t thought anything of it. His mother was a former navy seal. There was no way a sickly man like his father could hurt her.

\-----------

“Kodya?” Nephthys’ voice echoed across the table, and Kodya looked up to meet her worried gaze. Kodya shook his head, clearing away the bad memories to see that his mother was offering him the mashed potatoes.

“Thank you,” he gave her a fixed smile as he took the dish from her hands. “I love mashed potatoes.” He piled his plate high with deliberate slowness, knowing that the mermaids were watching and taking notes. His mother raised her characteristic eyebrow.

“I should hope so,” she said wryly. “Seeing as you made them.” Nephthys gave a nervous giggle of agreement.

“You did?” Gyrus asked as he eagerly took the dish and spooned out the same amount of mashed potatoes as Kodya had taken, casting little glances over to make sure he was doing it correctly. Kodya fought the pride creeping up his stomach.

“Yeah, I made everything here,” he shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. The three mermaids turned their attention to the spread of food across the table. Fluffy’s mouth started watering. He grabbed the salmon and offered it to Gyrus. “Would you like to try the rare salmon?” Then remembering he was talking to someone who ate fish raw he added, “be careful though, rare means it’s not cooked all the way through.” Which was about as close as he could get to warning him that it was cooked at all without drawing his mother’s suspicions. Maybe he should have claimed they were all vegetarian.

“Thank you,” Gyrus passed the mashed potatoes to Tori and took the fish, balancing it awkwardly between his knife and fork. As soon as he finished Tori snatched it away, placing a fish on her plate with her bare hands and giving it to Sylvia, who placed two on hers. Kodya winced as Nephthys blinked down at the single solitary fish left behind. He shot a quick glance at his mother, but she seemed not to have noticed.

“Kodya has always had a gift for cooking fish,” she smiled at Gyrus, who looked a bit like a deer caught in the headlights. “I’m quite sure you’ll find it enjoyable.” Kodya frowned. Why was she taking such an interest in Gyrus? Then Nephthys’ original claim about a secret boyfriend, forgotten in his panic at the mermaids’ arrival, came rushing back. Oh no.

From across the table Nephthys mimed for Gyrus to take a bite. Gyrus blinked. Nephthys bit her lip, then deliberately cut her fish and held a piece up to her mouth. She glared at Gyrus over Kodya’s mother’s head, who was still waiting patiently.

Gyrus’ eyes widened, and he stabbed his knife through the fish. It cut a jagged piece that was too large for polite company, but Gyrus didn’t notice, stuffing the whole thing into his mouth. He paused for a fraction of a second afterwards, face carefully blank, and if Kodya had not been directly next to him he doubted he would have noticed. Then the moment passed and Gyrus shot Kodya’s mother a happy grin.

“It’s really good!” He said before turning to Kodya, “you’ve really got a way with food.” He then took another bite, fixed smile firmly in place.

“He really does!” Nephthys agreed, no doubt eager to keep the conversation on safe subjects like admiring the food. Fluffy took this as a sign to eat, biting her fish in half.

“So how did you two meet?” His mother directed a calculating smile towards Kodya and Gyrus. Yep. She definitely thought they were dating. Kodya’s hands twitched as he resisted the urge to facepalm.

As if matters couldn’t get any worse, on the other side of the table he saw Sylvia spit out the salmon, making a face at him from across it. “Fish…” Kodya started and his mother wrinkled her brow. “Fishing!” Kodya cried, determined to keep her attention on him and not on Fluffy, who was now trying to clean her tongue with her hands.

“I was in the water,” Gyrus added as Tori pushed water towards Sylvia to try and help her get rid of the taste.

“Because he fell off another boat!” Kodya jumped in. Fluffy downed the water in one gulp.

“I hurt my leg,” Gyrus explained. “And had hyposomething.” Red and Fluffy looked around desperately to find a place to hide the fish.

“Hypothermia,” Kodya supplied as Nephthys directed Red and Fluffy to stick the fish in the soil of the potted plant behind her with a practiced ease that left Kodya feeling slightly insulted.

His mother blinked, looking between them with narrowed eyes, with an expression that said, I know you’re lying, but I can’t prove it. But that was fine. She’d used that expression multiple times on him and Neph, and they hadn’t gotten into trouble for it yet. Finally his mother relented, with a polite smile. “That’s quite the story. You’re very lucky Kodya was there to rescue you.”

“Yeah,” Gyrus’ face softened. “I really was very lucky to meet him.” His eyes met Kodya’s, and Kodya felt like his heart had turned to butter.

“And what about you two?” Kodya’s mother turned her attention to Tori and Sylvia. Both girls froze, trying to look like they hadn’t been hiding fish. Nephthys shifted her head slightly to cover the potted plant.

“Oh you know,” Tori gave a slight shrug as she turned her attention too Kodya’s mother. “We tried to rescue Gyrus.”

“Not that I needed it!” Gyrus cut in. “But you know, when someone falls off a boat…” he rubbed the back of his neck as he shot Tori a look that said, _play along._

“I promised his mother I’d look after him,” Tori said stiffly.

“His mother?” Kodya’s mother asked. “She’s not yours?” Sylvia, Gyrus, and Nephthys all winced.

“She most certainly is not!” Tori snapped. Kodya’s mother’s mouth twisted into a slight frown. The frown she used when Kodya made a fuss over something he shouldn’t. Tori crossed her arms, clearly refusing to be intimidated.

“Don’t ask,” Kodya muttered into his mother’s ear. On the other side Nephthys nodded rapidly. His mother bit her lip.

“I apologize,” she said, and Kodya was a little surprised at how genuinely sorry she sounded. “I should not have pressed.” Tori took a deep breath and uncrossed her arms, Kodya’s mother’s genuine remorse cooling her initial anger. 

“It is forgiven,” she muttered. The table fell into an awkward silence. Kodya glanced at his mother, who looked morosely down at her food. He wondered if something in the conversation had triggered her. He hadn’t thought questioning parentage would be upsetting. Then again he wouldn’t put it past his father to have said something awful. He’d gotten so paranoid he’d been willing to say just about anything, especially towards the end.

\-----------

The night before he died, his father called Kodya up to his room. “Bring me some scissors and a knife,” he commanded Kodya. Kodya didn’t move.

His father sighed. “I’m not going to do anything stupid,” he reassured Kodya, a ghost of his old smile on his lips. “I just need it to take care of some old furs.” Kodya had still hesitated, he’d heard the doctors and neighbors whisper about how the mind deteriorated with illness. He didn’t want to give his father anything that could cause him to hurt himself. “Go on,” Kodya’s father said, with a bit more heat, and Kodya jumped, hurrying down the stairs two at a time.

He returned with both items, and his father snatched them out of his hands, attacking a strange brown rug over his lap in a frenzy. “Stop!” Kodya had cried, jumping to his side and trying to restrain him, but his father seemed to have gained an inhuman strength. He didn’t stop until the strange fur rug was cleaved in too.

Then he leaned back into Kodya’s arms, all his strength disappearing into the air. “You know everything I do, I do for you right son?” He smiled up at Kodya.

“Yes father,” Kodya had agreed, discreetly trying to get the scissors and knife away from him. His father snorted.

“You can take them back,” he dropped them dismissively. “I don’t need them anymore.” Kodya grabbed them and pulled them far out of his reach, feeling far from convinced. His father laughed, a warm, freeing sound, and for one second Kodya was little again on the beach.

Then his father looked at him, a sobering smile. “Don’t worry about what will happen after I die,” he said, and Kodya felt tears prick his eyes. “Hey now,” His father met his eyes. “You’re going to be fine. Your Mother is going to take care of you. I’ve ensured it. So don’t go crying, got that?”

Kodya had nodded. But he hadn’t been able to keep that promise. He’d cried the next day, sobbing throughout the funeral. His mother had pulled him close, she’d never cared that he cried. Her eyes had been wet, and at the time, he’d thought she was crying because she missed him too.

He’d been wrong.

\------------

“So Gyrus,” Kodya blinked as his mashed potatoes swam into focus at the sound of his mother’s voice. He looked up to see she had returned her attention to Gyrus, bad mood shaken off in favor of her larger goal. “What are your hobbies?” Cold dread washed over Kodya as he realized her misstep had not been enough to get her off her self-imposed mission to interrogate his supposed boyfriend.

“Hobbies?” Gyrus blinked. And Kodya silently panicked, frantically trying to remember if he’d taught Gyrus about normal human hobbies. “I enjoy spending time in the ocean, collecting sea glass, and learning from Kodya!” He added with a sideways smile at Kodya that said, _I’ve got this._

“Learning?” his mother pursed her lips, glancing over at Kodya. Kodya furrowed his brow. The lie of Gyrus being a foreigner was all well and good for Anan and Alistair. They’d never been out of state. But his mother, who lived and breathed politics, wasn’t going to buy it at all.

“Dinosaurs!” He blurted out, and everyone turned to stare at him. Kodya didn’t blame them, it was a pretty stupid choice, but he couldn’t exactly back down now. “I was teaching him about dinosaurs,” he explained. “I mean, since he asked.” Right, because that was totally believable. Why oh why couldn’t he have just said fish?

“Dinosaurs are an interesting topic!” Nephthys chimed in. Kodya’s mother’s attention swung to her, one eyebrow raised. Nephthys ducked her head, cheeks burning red. _Thanks Nephthys,_ Kodya fought the urge to roll his eyes. _Would it kill you to grow a backbone?_ That wasn’t really fair, Kodya wasn’t much of a match against his mother’s eyebrow of judgement either, but at the moment he wasn’t feeling particularly charitable.

“Certainly the most interesting thing Kodya has ever taught,” Red added with a nod. Kodya wasn’t certain if she was insulting him or trying to help.

“Did you know plesiosaurs were around for 135 million years?” Gyrus leaned forward, expression serious. “Their continued survival is fascinating.”

Fluffy shuttered. She held her hands apart and snapped them together like a large jaw. _Not fascinating,_ she shook her head. _Dangerous._

“Sylvia was it?” Kodya’s mother narrowed her eyes. “That’s an interesting sign language, what country is it from?” Her voice was polite, but Kodya winced. It was the tone she took when someone decided to say something rude in the grocery store, or she was about to destroy an opponent in a televised debate.

Sylvia cocked her head as Kodya and Nephthys exchanged looks. Nephthys cleared her throat and his mother’s eyes snapped to her. “Sylvia didn’t learn any.”

“It’s a bit of a sad story,” Kodya added, “Really best not to press.” Fluffy, Red and the Kid all gave fake expressions of sadness.

“I see,” Kodya’s mother frowned, looking unconvinced. Kodya gulped. Apparently the sad story line only worked once.

“Tell me,” Kodya’s mother leaned forward, smile sharp. “Where are you from? Your accents suggest you aren’t from the states.”

“Korea!” Kodya cried, naming a country he knew his mother had no connections too. At the same time Nephthys said:

“England!” No doubt trying to explain Tori’s accent. They looked at each other as Kodya’s mother raised an eyebrow.

“What they mean is we’re all from different countries,” Gyrus offered. “I’m from Korea, and Tori’s from England, originally.”

“I see,” Kodya’s mother said, in a tone that said she knew everyone was lying, but wasn’t going to say anything yet. “And you Sylvia, where are you from?”

_Me?_ Sylvia pointed to herself.

“Lomonosov,” Tori spoke up, and everyone turned to stare at her. “I guarantee you’ve never heard of it.”

“Actually I have,” Kodya’s mother straightened. “Lomonosov Ridge, an underwater ridge located in the arctic off of Russia.” Kodya’s blood ran cold as his mother turned to give mermaids the look she usually gave opponents on the debate floor before she eviscerated them. “Now why would you claim to be from somewhere submerged?” her smile was sharp as a knife. Kodya bowed his head, knowing it was over.

**“You didn’t hear that!”** Gyrus panicked, voice deepening with an odd inflection. Kodya looked up to see his mother’s features smooth into something completely blank.

“I’m sorry Sylvia,” she said in a dull, monotonous voice. “What was it you just said?”

Horror washed over Kodya as he realized where he’d heard that odd inflection before. Cynthia had moved like a puppet, and Kodya shuttered as he imagined his mother moving in that stiff, parroted walk.

“I’m sorry,” Gyrus said, pale and shaking. “I-I didn’t…”

Kodya’s mother stood up, towering over the table. “It’s time for you to leave.” She smiled at the mermaids, but there was a fury in her eyes that made Kodya shutter. He hadn’t seen that look since the seal.

\------------

The funeral had been on the beach. Fitting, since his mother had him buried in the sea. There hadn’t been that many people there, some concerned neighbors, the other fishermen, and a few shady looking people too. After it ended, people kept trying to talk to Kodya, to offer condolences or tell him to man up, but he shook them off.

The only one he wanted to talk to was his mother, but she was held up by one of the shady looking people, a woman in black business attire and shades like someone out of a spy movie. So instead he wandered off, down along the beach.

In the distance he spotted a seal, a great big one that seemed oddly familiar. Kodya wandered towards it, pulled forward by the strange, almost hypnotic pull of the seal’s dark eyes. The seal hated him, Kodya could see it in his eyes, but somehow he couldn’t quite bring himself to stop. Not until he was nearly on top of it, and the great seal bared its tusks and roared.

Kodya felt the sand hard against his back as he collapsed. Wet spit sprinkled on his face as the great seal reared on its back flippers and screamed. Kodya saw his eleven years flash before his eyes, and as the seal began to lung downward, he briefly wished there was more of it.

“KODYA!” A familiar voice screamed, and suddenly his mother was there, standing between him and the full fury of the seal. He wanted to cry out, wanted to stop her, but his voice was stuck in his throat. “LEAVE.” His mother swung her hand back, and slapped the seal across its fat head. “MY.” It reeled back, the force of the slap knocking it off balance. “SON.” His mother wasted no time, headbutting him in the side and knocking him back into the sand. “ALONE!”

She stood over the seal, victorious, as the funeral attendees began to run to the scene. His mother bent her head, and Kodya could see tears in her eyes. “Leave Отец,” she whispered, and Kodya wondered if he was delusional from the shock. Surely she hadn’t called the seal father. “Leave,” she said again, straightening her shoulders to better block Kodya’s view. “And never come back.”

The seal rolled on its belly, and began to flop away, back to the waves. It stopped just once, just as the strange spy lady reached Kodya’s side, to look back at his mother. It gave a single, mournful cry, almost like a farewell, and disappeared beneath the water.

His mother fell to the sand beside Kodya, pulling him forward into a tight hug. Kodya buried his head in her shoulder, as she began to cry, great ugly sobs, like her whole world was over. And despite his best intentions, Kodya found he soon followed her.

\-------------

“Mother?” Kodya rose to his feet, trying to figure out how to defuse this situation. “What’s wrong?”

“Your friends are leaving.” His mother crossed her arms. “Right now.”

“Excuse me?” Tori jumped to her feet, Sylvia hot on her heels. Gyrus grabbed at Red’s side, no doubt trying to stop her from doing anything rash. Tori didn’t make any aggressive movements, but she did not sit back down, instead glaring at Kodya’s mother.

Kodya’s mother glared back, a single, frigid eyebrow raised, daring Tori to start anything. Kodya gulped. He hadn’t seen her so angry since her debate with a politician who’d had the nerve to call her a communist plant.

“Is this really necessary?” Nephthys started, glancing between the two with a worried expression. Kodya’s mother’s sharp frown turned to her.

“You and I will talk later, Nephthys,” she said. “You knew the rules.” Nephthys flinched like she’d been struck, looking small and lost, like she hadn’t since the day he’d pulled her out of the water. Kodya felt a surge of protective anger boil.

“Don’t go taking this out on her,” He snapped, finding himself suddenly on his feet. “They're my friends, who _you_ invited inside.” Then he paused as his brain caught up with the strange wording. “And what do you mean by rules?” Last time he’d checked, there weren't any rules about inviting weirdos into the house, or else they’d never have kept Nephthys.

“Kodya now is not the time,” His mother grit her teeth. Beside her, Nephthys looked up, wide eyes warning Kodya to be careful.

“We should go,” Gyrus tugged Red and Fluffy from their positions. “Now.” He pulled the two of them towards the door, stopping only to whisper “Sorry,” over his shoulder, before Sylvia pulled him through.

No sooner had the door shut behind him then Kodya’s mother turned to him. “You shouldn’t see them again.” She warned, back straight as a rod. “Whatever they told you was a lie.”

“Excuse me?” Kodya scowled, crossing his arms. “I’m a grown adult! I can see whoever I want to!”

“I’m trying to protect you.” His mother shot back, “those people are dangerous. They spent the whole evening lying and -”

“I know they were lying! I asked them to lie!” Kodya shouted. His mother looked like he’d slapped her. In a quieter voice Kodya said, “Did it ever occur to you that I’ve got the common sense to know who’s trouble and who isn’t?”

His mother shook her head. “Kodya I really don’t think you don’t-”

“Ehem,” Nephthys coughed, and both turned to look at her. “I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding.” She turned to Kodya’s mother. “Kodya learned about sirens months ago; he knows what they can do.” Kodya flinched at the wording, casting a worried look at his mother, but she merely furrowed her brow. “And Kodya,” Nephthys gave him a rueful look, “you’ve got to admit a siren using his thrall, even just on accident, doesn’t give the best first impression.”

Kodya took a step back, shaking his head to try and clear it. Nephthys’ calming words taking a background as his mother’s lack of reaction took center stage and the pieces slowly began to fall into place. _“You knew?”_ He exclaimed, staring at his mother in horror. “You knew there were mermaids?”

“Kodya,” his mother started, but Kodya wasn’t finished.

“Did you know about her too?” He pointed at Nephthys. His mother didn’t reply, but Kodya had grown very good at reading her silences, and he knew from the way she pursed her lips that she had. “Why,” he croaked out, looking back at Nephthys, who looked away. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You don’t belong in that world,” his mother said. “I was trying to protect you.”

“That’s bullshit!” Kodya snapped. “I lived with Nephthys for years! I’ve known the mermaids for months and they clearly haven't done anything to me! So tell me again what you’re supposed to be protecting me from?”

“From being killed!” His mother shook her fist in the air. “Do you have any idea what some of the elders would do to a half-blooded child like you?”

“Half-blooded?” Kodya blinked at the oddly archaic phrase. “What are you talking about? You’re not from the sea…”

“Oh Kodya,” his mother whispered, her eyes a mixing of pain, fear, and guilt. Kodya had seen that look only once before.

\-------------

His mother starts her campaign when Kodya is a junior in high school. It was strange, having people suddenly know who he was when they hadn’t before. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on his mother’s policies, or just wanted to know what it was like to have a parent who would be famous. It looked like she was going to win by a landslide, and not just in their little town.

So he really shouldn’t have been surprised when the smear campaign started. Suddenly sleezy people were digging around, asking questions and running their mouths about anything they could. At first, it was easy to ignore, they didn’t have any real dirt anyways. That was until he turned on the news, and saw one of his father’s old fishing buddies on the big screen.

“So tell us a bit about the Kaverics,” the news reporter was saying.

“The Kaverics? Let me tell you,” the man leaned forward with a gleam in his eye, “Mr. Kaveric was about the biggest piece of scum I’d ever known. Illegal hunting, selling endangered animals on the black market, the whole shebang.”

“Really?” The reporter raised an eyebrow. “And did Mrs. Kaveric know about these dealings?”

“Know?” the fisherman cackled, “She was one! A genuine mail order Russian bride, or so I’ve been told. He was her only connection to America, and he took full advantage of that, yes he did. Used to come in late, bragging about how he didn’t have to work because he’d just make his wife do it. Sometimes she’d even show up with too much makeup, and we all knew the reason.”

Kodya snorted as he switched off the TV. “I swear this slander gets stupider and stupider.” Idiot couldn't even get his facts straight. Mail Order Russian Bride? His mother had been a distinguished navy seal when she met his father. He glanced over towards his mother wanting to make a joke, “Do you think…” He stopped.

His mother sat stiff as a board, eyes wide and unseeing as she stared at the screen. “Mother?” Kodya asked, reaching a hesitant hand out towards her. His mother flinched, whole body contorting away from him. It was just an instant, before she righted herself again, eyes going wide, and full of guilt as she tried to reach back at him. But it was too late.

Kodya’s world shattered.

\------------

Kodya did what he had done then, he ran. Ran and ran until he couldn’t run anymore, as if by running he could somehow escape this reality and go into a different one. But no one can run forever, even if they want to, and when Kodya eventually ran out of steam, he found himself at the empty beach. He collapsed on the sand, panting, as the pain of his lungs temporarily distracted him from his thoughts.

But it didn’t last, and as his breathing evened the events of the disastrous dinner came running back, and all the dread and confusion that came with them. Kodya shook his head, trying to get a grip on himself. So mother had kept another huge, life changing secret from him, so what? It’s not like this was the first time she’d done so. She’d lied about his father until that fisherman had aired that family secret on live TV.

His father, Kodya pulled his knees to his chest. Had he been responsible for this too? Prevented his mother from returning to the sea somehow? Not that Kodya was sure how a bedridden man could do anything to prevent a mermaid or sea witch or whatever else his mother apparently was from going to the sea. Then again, he hadn’t thought a bedridden man could hurt a navy seal, and he’d been wrong.

There was another way he could keep her on land, a dark part of his mind whispered. If she had Kodya, she’d be forced to stay. She could hardly take a _half-blood_ who couldn’t even swim back with her when some faceless elders would supposedly kill him.

And why was it such a big deal anyways? He scowled at the waves. He wished Gyrus were here, so he could ask him. But then again, he pulled his knees closer. If it really was such a bad thing, Gyrus might not want to be around him anymore. Would he go find a new human teacher? He hardly needed Kodya now he had a job working for Alistair. Kodya bit his lip, trying to keep the sudden surge of sadness inside him from spilling into tears.

“Hola mi amigo!” A voice cried, breaking Kodya out of his dark thoughts. He startled, reaching back a hand to catch himself from falling. When he looked up, he saw Don waving at the side of the road, wheelchair brought right up to the pavement. “Are you here to enjoy the beautiful sunset too?”

Kodya blinked, rubbing a quick hand over his eyes, just in case. Don noticed anyways. “Ahh,” he said with a shake of his head. “I know that look. Who broke your heart mi amigo?”

“Nobody,” Kodya scowled, wishing the busybody environmentalist wannabe would just go away. Don however, seemed to have no intention of moving, pulling out a Harmonia from thin air and bringing it to his lips.

The saddest tune Kodya had ever heard washed over him, low and mournful. Kodya wondered distantly how anything so sad could come from a harmonica. As the music continued to play its wordless melody, Kodya got the overwhelming urge to spill all his problems to Don, just to talk to someone about his mother’s secrets and his real feelings for Gyrus. _Wait what?_ Kodya shook his head, embarrassment breaking him out of whatever spell Don’s music had cast.

“Is something wrong?” Don lowered his harmonica, voice concerned. Kodya felt his cheeks heat up, an irrational fear that Don could see inside his mind rising to the surface.

“I’m fine!” He pinched the bridge of his nose, pretending to have a headache, but in reality he was only trying to disguise the red. “I’m just sick of all the lies,” he said to buy himself time, and found to his surprise that it was true.

“Ready to win him back?” Don leaned forward, a gentle smile on his lips. Kodya fought down another blush. Don really, really was harping on this being a lovers dispute.

“I didn’t say I was going to win anyone-” Kodya protested, because he wasn’t, but Don raised his hand to stop him.

“There is no need to be so embarrassed my boy,” Don pulled something from his pocket, “but it just so happens I have something that will solve your problem.”

Kodya eyed the two pieces of paper suspiciously. “I’m not buying a ticket to whatever you're selling.”

Don let out an easy laugh and shook his head. “No mi amigo, this is a gift. To pay back Gyrus for that enlightening conversation we had at Alistair’s shop.”

“Who said this had anything to do with Gyrus,” Kodya grumbled, but took the tickets anyway. At the very least he could pass them on to Gyrus when he apologized for everything that had happened. _Join the Movement!_ was written in bold letters on the ticket. _Come to the Rally!_ He raised an eyebrow at Don. “Self promotion much?”

“I am a politician after all,” Don said, looking completely unabashed. “You take Gyrus on an interesting date that tailors to his interests, I get two more people in my rally. Everyone wins.”

Kodya furrowed his brow, but he couldn’t think of a downside to that deal. Still. While this was all well and good of Gyrus, it would hardly fix his problems with his mother. “I’ll think about it,” he said, tucking the two tickets in his back pocket.

Don smiled. “That’s all I ask.”

“Doooonnn!” Anan’s voice echoed down the street. “Where are you?” Don and Kodya both looked up.

“I’ve got to go,” Don gave Kodya an apologetic smile, before wheeling himself down the path at a brisk pace that seemed rather reckless for a man of his age.

Kodya watched him go hand slipping to his back pocket to finger the tickets tucked safely inside. He still wasn’t sure how Gyrus would respond to the revelation he’d just learned about his mother and himself, but maybe if he invited him out to do something non-threatening, he could bring the word “half-blood” up casually and gage Gyrus’ response. Like a spy gathering information. Maybe he’d be able to learn a bit more about what it meant and why his mother was so upset, so he could understand why she had lied for so long. Maybe he’d even find out that it wasn’t as bad as she’d feared and she’d finally feel comfortable enough to tell him everything. If nothing else, he’d at least be able to take Gyrus out on a fun date.

Yeah. Kodya lifted his head. That didn’t seem like a bad idea at all. Maybe Don really had handed him a solution to his problems. The corner of Kodya’s mouth twitched up. He really wasn’t so bad a guy after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anan: Feather have you seen Don?  
> Feather: ....  
> Anan: No? Where did he go? I've checked everywhere! He's not in his house, he's not in his office, he's not campaigning...how did we lose him? He's in a wheelchair for crying out loud!  
> Feather:...  
> Anan: I know, I know, he's pretty fast in that thing. But come on! How far could he possibly have gotten? We should be able to find him! Unless - (stops) - you don't think he's been kidnapped do you?  
> Feather: ...  
> Anan: He has been kidnapped! Kidnapped on our watch! He could be hurt! He could be killed! He could be...  
> Feather: (bumps his side and points down the road)  
> Anan: He's coming right towards us....Feather you found him! He's been saved! (Pulls a very confused Don into a hug)
> 
> Let me know what you think of Kodya's mother.


	8. Storms Gather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nephthys Goes on a Quest to Save a Queen, Kodya tries to find answers, but ends up on a date instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cynthia = two  
> Cynthia's brother = three

When Kodya had slammed the door on his way out, Nephthys had been terrified. She’d broken the biggest rule of the house, Kodya now knew about seafolk, and the Senator knew Nephthys had kept it from her. A part of her thought she was going to be thrown out onto the street then and there, and lose the only home she’d had on land.

But the Senator hadn’t done anything of the kind. All she’d done was turn to Nephthys, face worn, and ask her in a dull voice how Kodya had met the sirens. Nephthys told what she knew in a halting voice, fearful at any moment she’d be thrown out. But when she’d finished the Senator had merely nodded, shoulders sagging with the weight of the world. “There’s nothing that can be done then,” she said as she dragged herself towards the stairs. “I’m going to go lie down.”

“Aren’t I in trouble?” Nephthys asked, desperate to get it over with. The Senator looked back at her, and Nephthys could see the bags under her eyes.

“Of course not,” she murmured. “You’ve done nothing wrong.” Nephthys stood in numb shock as the Senator pulled herself up the stairs, and out of sight. It had been her worst fear, and she hadn’t been kicked out. By all rights, she should probably celebrate.

Nephthys promptly burst into tears.

\-------- Nephthys

The night had been long, and when Nephthys had left, the Senator still hadn’t risen from her bed. She’d left some cereal out on the counter, in hopes it would encourage her to eat when she rose, but didn’t stick around. Call it selfish, but there were some wounds Nephthys couldn’t heal, and she didn’t like to watch others suffer them. Besides, she doubted the Senator would want her help. She’d always seemed so adverse to crying in front of her and Kodya. It would be best to give her space.

She’d opened the door to her little shop and bustled in, fully prepared to put everything off in favor of tending to whatever customer wandered in. She could deal with the Kaverics some other time. For right now, she would sell potions and teas like a proper sea witch.

No sooner had she taken her place behind her desk then the bell tinkled as a customer pushed inside. Nephthys nearly jumped out of her skin. Although her shop said it opened at 9:00am, most customers didn’t drop by until 10:00am at least, leaving her plenty of time to restock shelves, brew potions, or do anything else that needed doing.

“Welcome!” She cried, a smile fixed on her face as she subtly adjusted her witch’s hat. She hoped it was someone she knew and not a tourist. She was not ready to put up with that particular brand of stupid this early in the morning.

It wasn’t a tourist who came inside though, but Tori and Sylvia. Nephthys felt relief well up inside her at the sight, only to feel it vanish as she met Tori’s wide eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked. Then sighed. “This isn’t about last night is it?”

“What?” Tori blinked, as confusion temporarily chased the worry off her face. “Nay!” Beside her Sylvia shook her head in agreement. “This happened this morning, and is far more important than some rude dame!” Nephthys furrowed her eyebrows, not liking the insult towards the woman who took her in. Sylvia raised an eyebrow at Tori and she blushed.

“The point is,” Tori continued, “I went to my pod, asking if there was a way my Queen could be transported here to see you. And at dawn today a messenger returned, bringing news that our queen’s health has deteriorated, and that you are to be brought immediately, regardless of the rules.”

“Immediately?” Nephthys took half a step back. “But I don’t even know which potion she needs! And how am I going to get there? I can’t swim anymore, remember?”

Sylvia moved her hand like a fish, making a “vroom” noise. It took Nephthys a minute to work out what she was trying to say. “Are you saying I should take the boat?” Sylvia nodded enthusiastically.

Nephthys bit her lip. Kodya had insisted that she learn how to drive his boat back when he’d first gotten it, in the hopes that she’d be able to help him if his fishing intake ever got too big. It hadn’t, and when Nephthys’ store took off to both their surprises, she’d never really needed to use that skill again.

“Please,” Tori begged, hands folding over Nephthys’ as she met her eyes. Nephthys could see the fear written in her irises. In one second Nephthys knew Tori’s love for her queen went far deeper than simple loyalty. “Ye are our only chance.”

Nephthys studied Tori’s eyes for a half a second more. Before giving a slight nod. She’d hardly be worthy of her white plates if she turned down an honest plea like that.

“Thank you,” Tori’s shoulders sagged with relief as she stepped back out of Nephthys personal space. Nephthys gave her a tired smile.

“Don’t thank me yet,” she warned. “I’m going in with little to no knowledge or time to prep. I may very well be unable to help at all.”

Sylvia placed a hand on her shoulder. _Anything is good,_ her expression said. _Just come._

Nephthys bit her lip. “I’ll get my potions,” she said. Sylvia and Tori beamed.

\------------ Kodya

Kodya’s phone buzzed, and he groped by the side of his bed, hands clumsy with sleep. He rubbed his eyes as he looked down at it, wondering who could be texting him on one of his very view days off. Nephthys name blinked up at him and Kodya’s stomach turned as he read the words: _Can I borrow your boat?_

With shaking hands he typed out: _What wrong?_ Had something happened while he was gone? Had his mother done something? Were they going on a bonding fish people day without him?

_Nothing Wrong._ The words flashed across the screen and Kodya let out a sigh of relief. _Me, Tori, and Syl are going on a trip. Keep Gyrus occupied for a few days K?_

Kodya rubbed his eyes, hoping against hope that Nephthys words would suddenly make sense. _Whaa? Why no Gyrus?_ He reread his words with a wince. He should probably wake up more before texting, but it got the job done.

_Keep Gyrus from realizing we’re gone._ Nephthys seemingly hadn’t read his text yet. _T & S told him hunting. Make sure he doesn’t realize._ Kodya grit his teeth.

“Really Nephthys?” he grumbled. As he typed out, _Explain._

_Explain after, no time._ Came the reply. Then _Please?_ Appeared as if that would make everything better. Kodya sighed. The last thing he wanted to deal with after yesterday was more secrets. Speaking of which...

_Tell me about half-bloods,_ he typed. _And you can._ A bubble appeared and Kodya felt his heart stop.

_Half human, half seafolk._ Was the prompt reply. _Power inbetween._ Then before Kodya could protest a quick Bye!

Kodya cursed and tried to type out more questions, but none of them delivered. She was out of range. Which meant she’d probably already taken his boat and was just asking as a courtesy. Kodya scowled. Looks like he was back to plan A.

\----------- Nephthys

Nephthys adjusted her plates nervously, one hand still one the wheel of the boat. They’d been driving for hours, so they must be getting close. It couldn’t be too far from shore, or Gyrus would have questioned Tori’s long disappearances. She wondered what the sirens would think of her, a sea witch with human legs and plates that barely fit, unable to even get in the water. Her hands tightened on the wheel.

_Stop that Nephthys,_ she thought to herself. She was here to try and help a patient. Not to impress close-minded sirens. It didn’t matter what they thought. All that mattered was if she was able to help or not. Which was a whole ‘nother worry in of itself.

“Nephthys.” Tori’s head broke above the surface. “It’s time to stop the boat.”

“We’re here?” Nephthys craned her neck, as she cut the engine, trying to catch a glimpse of the sirens. But there was nothing but the sun glinting off the waves.

“No,” Tori replied with a flick of her tail. “But this is as far as you can come. Now they will come to ye.”

“Oh,” Nephthys said. That did not make her feel better. Tori drifted closer, seemingly sensing her distress.

“I can stay with ye if would prefer,” she offered. “Sylvia has gone on ahead.” Nephthys gave a sharp nod, and Tori straightened her shoulders, blue plate becoming visible as more of her rose from the water in salute. She didn’t say anything more, but Nephthys was grateful for her company.

Time seemed to stretch on to an eternity then, as she waited in the slowly rocking boat. She had just about to ask Tori to check on them when the water broke before the boat, and the escort burst above the surface with a great splash.

They were resplendent, a full escort in bright blue plates. Some even had helmets made of white bone. They started at Nephthys with open distrust, hands tight on their spears, and Nephthys became suddenly aware of how small the boat was, and how vast the ocean that she could no longer swim in was.

Don’t worry, she reassured herself. They invited you. They wouldn’t dare insult the rule of hospitality. Not to a sea witch. Her stomach twisted, but she raised her hands to perform the traditional sea witch salute, arms open and palms flat, a gesture to show: _I mean no harm._

“I thought she was supposed to be a sea witch,” one of the guards, a purple haired man with a sharp scar on his face grumbled. Nephthys blushed as every eye was drawn to her legs. She hadn’t felt this small since her first day in Kodya’s high school. Back then she’d blamed it on being surrounded by humans. She never thought there would come a day when she’d feel so out of place among the seafolk too.

“Manners, Brenden,” a soft voice spoke as Sylvia growled in agreement. Nephthys’s eyes snapped to the center where Sylvia swam, supporting a siren who could only be Gyrus’ mother. A crown of sorts balanced crookedly on her limp green hair, forged of shells and coral. Her skin was pale and sickly, especially against Sylvia’s as she kept her afloat. But there was a quiet dignity to her, and the guards looked down ashamed as a note of sharpness entered her voice. “She is my guest, and you’d do well to remember that.”

“My Queen!” Tori cried, swimming forward to catch the siren by her other arm and secure her between Sylvia and herself. The queen gave Tori a small smile, weak against the dark bruises under her eyes.

“Victoria,” she murmured. “You’ve returned.” Tori’s expression softened, and as they continued to gaze at each other for half a second longer Nephthys got the distinct impression she was intruding on something private.

“I have,” Tori whispered, then seemingly remembering the audience, gave an embarrassed cough, “and I’ve brought help! The Sea Witch!” She gestured to Nephthys, then crossed her arms as she shot the other guards a challenging look. The Queen’s attention turned back to her.

“You are my son’s friend, correct?” The Queen asked, lifting her chin to regard Nephthys will the serenity of a ruler. “The one who helped him walk among humans.” A few guards shifted at that, and Nephthys swallowed.

“Yes,” she confirmed, wondering what it was with her friends and intimidating mothers.

“Good,” the queen nodded, ignoring the stifled gasps of the watching sirens. She extended a hand upwards to Nephthys while Sylvia shifted her position to compensate for the movement. “Then if you’d please,” she added, “I would like to be examined.”

Nephthys took her hand, feeling the eyes of every mermaid on her back as she felt the delicate bones beneath the Queen’s wrist. She raised her head to look the queen in the eye, and found something in the tint of the blue reminded her of Gyrus. “I will do my best,” vowed. The corners of the queen’s eyes crinkled into a smile.

\----------- Kodya

Kodya headed towards Alistair’s store, rally tickets heavy in his pocket. He had a mission to complete. If Nephthys wasn’t going to give him answers, then he’d just have to butter Gyrus up and ask him. By taking him on a date. Because everyone wants to be asked about their culture’s murder habits on the first date. He gulped. Why was he doing this again?

Maybe he should just give up and go home. Wait and ask Nephthys when she got back. He turned back to the street, a hand slipping into his back pocket. But then again, he did have the tickets. He might as well at least see if Gyrus wanted to go. Even if he didn’t decide to bring it up, he could still spend time with him.

His mind made up, he began to turn back to the store. _Clang!_ Kodya whirled around, to see an old man stumbling back from a streetlamp. “What the-” Kodya swore as he ran over to where the Old man thrust out his hands like some kind of bizarre octopus.

“Are you ok?” Kodya asked, stopping just before he reached the man. He jumped, and turned to Kodya with a fierce scowl. Their eyes met, and Kodya felt his blood run cold. His eyes were dark and thunderous and far too familiar.

The man took a step forward and Kodya flinched backwards. But the man simply squinted at him. “Are you a boy or a girl?”

“What?” Kodya drew himself up to his full height, a height he realized was taller than the shriveled man before him. “I’m a guy of course!” Sure his hair was long, but he hardly cut a femine figure. Who even asked something like that?

The man leaning forward close enough that Kodya could make out the individual hairs on his eyebrows. “Huh,” he said. “So you are.” Kodya blinked, reassessing the man in front of him, from his cataraked eyes to his tense posture to the clearly visible streetlamp to their left. Was he blind?

“Did you lose your glasses sir?” Kodya asked, as he glanced around the street. He hoped they’d fallen towards the sidewalk and not into the open road or the gutter.

“What are glasses?” The strange man cocked his head. A motion that reminded Kodya vaguely of his mother, back when she’d had the time to listen to him ramble over dinosaurs or transformers for hours.

“The little pieces of glass you wear on your face so you can see?” Kodya raised an eyebrow. How did anyone not know what glasses were? This guy was either pulling his leg or the dementia was setting in.

“I don’t need any cloudy sea glass on my face!” The man snapped. The stubborn tilt of his chin told Kodya it was definitely dementia. Probably. He didn’t really know anything about dementia, but talking nonsense was a symptom, right? “I need to find my daughter!”

“Your daughter?” Kodya pressed eagerly. He couldn’t exactly leave some blind old man wandering around town, not when he was clearly a few knives short of a full drawer. But if he had a caretaker, he’d just have to pass him off to her and get back to Gyrus. “Where is she?”

The man’s face fell. “I don’t know,” he said, shuffling his feet.

Kodya bit back a frustrated cry. Aggression was the last thing this situation needed right now. “Then where was the last time you saw her?”

“On the beach,” the man shrugged.

“The beach?” Kodya exclaimed. “How did you get all the way into town from the beach?” That was a ten minute drive a least. Kodya should know. He’d had to make it with three mermaids in the back of his car.

“I walked!” The man crossed his arms stubbornly, and Kodya could have cried.

“We need to get you back to the beach,” He said as he ran a hand through his hair, “Your daughter must be worried sick.” Worried was an understatement. She was probably nearly as crazy as this old man from the fear.

“She’s not on the beach anymore.” The man shook his head, large black eyes sad. “I waited. I’ve waited for so long, but she never came back.”

“What?” Kodya’s head snapped up. Did he have a case of elder abuse on his hands? A swooping feeling of sympathy filled his gut. He knew what it felt to feel abandoned by a loved one. “When was the last time you saw her?”

“Thirteen years ago,” the man looked to the side, a wistful look in his eye.

“Thirteen?” Kodya crossed his arms. “Wait a minute, do you expect me to believe you’ve been waiting on a beach for thirteen years?” For a second, he’d almost believed this guy. Just goes to show why you don’t listen to the ramblings of a dementia patient.

“It wasn’t her fault,” the old man said. “It was mine. But I didn’t know. That human, he lied. He said the pup had died. Not the captor. I didn’t know, I couldn’t see.”

“You can’t see because you don’t have glasses,” Kodya snapped. Or your meds, he added internally.

“Kodya is that you?” Kodya looked up to see Gyrus push through the store’s doors and head towards them. A nervous smile tugged at his lips as he saw him run a finger through his beautiful hair. Its growing longer, Kodya absently noticed as Gyrus stopped directly in front of him. “I’m so glad to see you!” He began, before looking down. “Listen, I wanted to say-”

The man beside Kodya snorted, and both Kodya and Gyrus jumped. “I don’t have time for your courting rituals.” He turned on his heels and began to stroll down the street, feet on the edge of the sidewalk to keep himself moving forward steadily. He waved a hand vaguely back at them. “Unless you pups know how to find my daughter or the sea witch, I’ll leave you two angelfish to coo at each other.”

Kodya was about to brush off the weird terminology as a sign of the man’s age, until a strangled squeak came from side him. He turned to see Gyrus as red as the strawberry ice cream he loved. “We aren’t angelfish!” Gyrus said in an unusually high voice as he buried his face in his hands. The man raised an eyebrow.

“Right, and I’m blind,” he said, but there was a color of amusement in his voice. 

“You are blind,” Kodya pointed out with a frown to cover up the overwhelming feeling that he was missing something.

“Baah.” He shook his head, hands flapping like flippers as he dismissed Kodya’s words. “Pups and their denial.”

“Look,” Gyrus held out his hands to pacify the man, and accidentally revealed his still red cheeks, “you said we were looking for the sea witch right? We’re friends of hers!”

Oh no. Kodya thought at the same time the man said, “Really?” With far too much hope in his voice for Gyrus to resist.

“Yep!” Gyrus nodded, and Kodya felt his heart sink as the man’s large black eyes began to shine. “And we can take you to her!”

_Make sure he doesn’t realize,_ his inner Nephthys hissed. He internally cursed as Gyrus offered his arm to the man, clearly intent to lead him to the store. He couldn’t let Gyrus take this guy to Nephthys, baby seal eyes be damned.

“No we can’t!” he exclaimed, jumping forward into Gyrus’s path. Gyrus and the old man both raised an eyebrow in a manner that made Kodya feel very foolish. “She’s busy,” he elaborated. The old man’s eyebrow rose higher, but Gyrus’ expression softened into a smile.

“That’s fine!” His dazzling smile moved from Kodya to the old man, and Kodya felt a bit like the sun had gone behind a cloud. “We can take you to her place to wait,” Gyrus offered, and the old man on his arm nodded as if he couldn’t see the brightness that was directly in front of him.

“We can’t do that either!” Kodya cut in with a wave of his hand, demolishing the sun in one fell swoop. He tried not to feel guilty as he added, “because she’s in an organization meeting. And those take forever.” Which was true. Sometimes his mother would take Nephthys and be gone for whole weeks, only to return with nary a word about where they’d been.

“Oh,” Gyrus frowned. “Okay,” he paused to rub his chin in thought. Kodya watched as a lightbulb came on in his mind. “We can take you to Alistair instead.”

“Alistair?” Kodya said, surprised. Alistair had given Gyrus a job without asking questions, sure, but he didn’t strike Kodya as the type to help out without some kind of monetary incentive.

“Yes! He has everything and knows everyone.” Gyrus beamed, clearly holding a much higher opinion of Alistair than Kodya did. “You’re looking for your daughter right?” he glanced at the old man who nodded. “Alistair does business with everyone in this town. If anyone’s going to know her, it's going to be him.” That was, pretty smart actually. Alistair wouldn’t object to something like that, Kodya had to admit. Especially if it meant a finder’s fee.

“And while you’re there, you can buy yourself some glasses,” Kodya added dryly, as the relief that Gyrus was buying the lie hit full force. He hoped the daughter was smart enough to buy him some. At the very least, Alistair could be trusted to guilt her into it if she was reluctant.

Gyrus took the man’s arm again, gently guiding him inside the store. As they pushed through the swinging door, the old man leaned closer to Gyrus, a frown on his face as he squinted at his features. Finally he asked. “Are you a shifter?”

“What?” Gyrus gasped, dropping the man’s arm as he stepped backwards. “No! Not at all!”

Kodya blinked. Shifter? There weren’t more magical creatures out there, were they?

“Shame,” the man looked down at his feet with a sigh. “My grandson is.” Gyrus’ eyebrows came together in surprise, as if this was some great surprise. Kodya began to feel lost again. Did that make the old guy a magical creature too? Were there other magical creatures?

The man continued, oblivious to Kodya’s confusion. “I’d like to show him the sea some day. If he ever forgives me.” Gyrus looked at him sharply, but the man didn’t seem to notice, lost in his memories.

“I don’t-” Gyrus started but the man patted his arm, giving Gyrus a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’ve enough blood on my hands.” Gyrus gulped, and Kodya felt alarm bells ringing. “I can mind my own business. Unless,” his eyes darkened with a cold fury as his grip tightened around Gyrus. “You’re not the sorcerer are you?”

A strange terror crossed Gyrus’ eyes, and Kodya knew he had to get Gyrus far away from this man, now. “Maria!” He cried, far too loudly as he saw her hurrying forward, “Customer for you!” The man’s attention turned briefly to her as he felt the vibrations of her footsteps. His hand loosened and that was all Kodya needed to pull Gyrus out of his grasp. Without bothering to look to see how Maria handled the old man, he pulled Gyrus out the door and down the street.

\------------- Nephthys

Nephthys examined the queen carefully. Her dull pink scales were dangerously soft to the touch, but as Nephthys pulled her hand back she found the protective slime was still in place. It was a small blessing at least, she wouldn’t end up like Nephthys, trapped above. But the circumstances puzzled her. How could her scales be soft? It didn’t seem like Scale Drop Disease because she wasn’t shedding scales. And shouldn’t the shine be visible if the slime was there?

A faint suspicion began to rise in Nephthys as she pressed a stethoscope gently to the queen’s chest, listening to her lungs. The queen gave a weak cough, and Nephthys tried not to wince at the wet sound inside. It shouldn’t be possible, as a siren, her lungs should have dried out naturally when she came above water.

Unless, Nephthys’ attention turned back to the tail. Soft scales that didn’t shed, lungs that had filled with water, and a coloration that wasn’t dull so much as it was closer to the pink undertones of the queen’s skin. It was almost as if…

“Tori!” She called, digging into her potions bag.

“What is it?” Tori asked, appearing so quickly at the edge of the boat that she made it rock. “Do you need me to help?”

“Yes,” Nephthys nodded as she pulled out her shades. “But not in the way you expect.” She held up the transformation potion. “I need you to drink this.” Tori reached out a hand to grab it, but Nephthys pulled away. “When you’re on the boat! You can’t swim after you drink it, remember?”

“Right,” Tori blushed as she heaved herself on to the boat. No sooner had her tail crossed the railing than she snatched the potion from Nephthys’ hand, downing it in one gulp.

A sharp gasp rose from the awaiting sirens as the light began to surround Tori. Nephthys startled, having temporarily forgotten they were there. The sudden rush of self-consciousness made her nearly miss the very reason she had Tori drink the potion in the first place.

But sure enough, as she squinted her eyes against the light, she caught the briefest glimpse of an in-between stage of the transformation before the light forced her to look away. She blinked, and Tori sat before her, completely human legs exposed for all to see.

“How does Tori transforming help our Queen?” one of the siren guards, Brenden from before, grumbled.

Sylvia splashed him with her tail, an action that clearly said, _shut up._

“Thank you Tori,” Nephthys handed a towel to her so she could get dry against the growing chill in the air. “I saw what I needed to see. I think I know what’s wrong now.” She reached for her potions bag. How it had happened, she wasn’t sure, but that wasn’t really a question she needed to answer right now.

“What is wrong?” the Queen asked, and Nephthys straightened, realizing she was going to have to explain to her while her potentially hostile guards watched. Lovely.

“I do not know how it came to be,” she started slowly, hoping no one was stupid enough to try and saddle her with the blame, like so many angry seafolk tried when a sea witch had a diagnosis they did not like. “But it appears as if you’ve been stuck between transformations. Like someone was trying to turn you human and failed.”

The Queen frowned and Nephthys felt her heart sink as the guards shifted all around them. “A half-blood does not suffer from this illness,” she said. Nephthys blinked, wondering if she had misheard. She knew sirens were old, but it seemed strange to think how old that meant when held against history. Had she lost a friend in the war? Or was something else at play here?

Nephthys shook her head. It didn’t matter. What mattered was she had a surprisingly open minded patient with misinformation. “It’s not the same,” she began and the Queen turned her large blue eyes to her. “A half-blood is naturally a creature of both land and sea. The transformations they go through are maintained by their unique visiology and their natural magic. A siren however, is only a creature of the sea, and must artificially replace that balance with something else to transform themselves fully into a creature of land. What happened to you is essentially what would happen to any siren who took a potion that was not properly created, that is, if I had to guess,” she trailed off, realizing she was rambling.

“I see,” the Queen said, brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of Nephthys’ word vomit. Nephthys winced. Tori leaned forward to touch the queen’s arm.

“Can you cure it?” Tori asked, looking up at Nephthys, eyes full of hope. Nephthys bit her lip as her hand tightened on her potions bag.

“I can,” she admitted, and Sylvia gave a cry of excitement from over the edge of the boat. “But it will take time,” Nephthys raised her hands to stop the excitement. “And there are ingredients that you may object to...and a price you might not be willing to pay.”

“What do you mean?” The Queen straightened, a note of wariness in her voice.

Nephthys took a deep breath. “The price,” she looked the Queen directly in the eye, “is a life debit to the half-blood who gifted the cure.”

\------------ Kodya

Gyrus offered no resistance as Kodya dragged him down the street to his truck. Nor did he move to the passengers side with his usual glee when Kodya stopped to pull out his keys. Instead he stood silent, arms wrapped around his body as he stared at the ground.

Kodya bit his lip, as he snuck another glance at Gyrus from the corner of his eye. “Are you okay?” he asked, silently cursing the old man for rattling him so badly.

The dam broke in Gyrus as he cried a “No!” that was more sob than word. He slid down the truck’s tire, folding in on himself like a mermaid folding chair. “Didn’t you hear anything that man said?”

“That man was clearly nuts,” Kodya shrugged, trying to seem confident and unaffected as he plopped himself on the ground beside Gyrus. “It happens to some humans when they age. I wouldn’t take it too seriously.” Hopefully if he phrased it like a part of human biology, Gyrus’ curiosity would kick in and he’d cheer up.

Gyrus didn’t take the bait. “He wasn’t crazy, he was one of the seafolk,” he said with a sniffle.

“How can you be sure?” Kodya asked, raising an eyebrow. He’d mentioned some pretty strange things like shifters and angelfish, but those were hardly unheard of on land. There was no guarantee he wasn’t just suffering from an onslaught of dementia.

“He mentioned the Sorcerer,” Gyrus’ eyes went dark as he stared out at nothing. Kodya suppressed a shutter at the barely hidden anger in them.

“I hate to break it to you,” he said, causing Gyrus’ head to turn to him, Kodya felt a slight relief as he saw the anger bleed out into confusion. “but there are a lot of sorcerer’s on land. Usually at parties.”

Gyrus shook his head, “No! Not a sorcerer, the Sorcerer! The evil one from myth!” Kodya would like to point out that he didn’t know the myth, so how was he supposed to know, but Gyrus’ lower lip was trembling, and Kodya figured he’d leave that for later and focus on what he understood.

“Right,” he shifted to the side to look at Gyrus properly. “In that case, you’re pretty obviously not evil and not a myth, so I’d say that’s pretty clearly ruled out.” He crossed his arms.

“Am I?” Gyrus whispered to his knees.

“Of course not!” Kodya shouted, pulling himself forward so he leaned into Gyrus’ personal space. “You’re kind. You mediate between me and Tori, and you saved me when you accidently sang me into the sea!”

For one second Gyrus seems to believe him. Then his lips twitch into a sad smile that Kodya hates. “Even after I enthralled your mother?” he whispered breath against tickling Kodya’s face.

Kodya bit his lip, eyes breaking from Gyrus to stare at the ground as he remembered his mother’s robotic voice. Gyrus gave a strangled sob.

“Gyrus?” Kodya’s head snapped up. He reached a hand out to Gyrus’ shaking shoulders in an effort to comfort him, but Gyrus flinched away.

“I didn’t even mean to!” He cried. It just happened! And it's been happening more and more.” Gyrus shook his head. “It's not like when I sang you over the sea, it's different! Like I override their will with my own!” he began to rock back and forth as the words came faster and faster. “I just get so mad, or scared, and then suddenly I’m in their head and I can control them. I did it to that lady who harassed us at the ice cream place, and I did it to your mom! I just,” he broke off, burying his head in his knees. “I’m scared.”

“You didn’t hurt anyone,” Kodya pointed out, feeling like this was important. “My mom, even Cynthia, you didn’t hurt them. The worst you did was make them leave.” He pulled the side of his mouth up in a crooked grin. “If that’s your worst, I think you’re doing pretty okay.”

Gyrus did not look convinced, and Kodya realized he was going to have to try a different method to get his point across.

“Look,” Kodya sighed as he pulled back, to lean on his truck’s tire. “I get it. My father was a really bad guy.” Gyrus looked at him with concern and he quickly added, “not to me! Never to me,” he repeated softer, then shook his head. He had to stay on topic. “But he was horrible to my mom. And I only found out when it got blasted all over town,” even thinking about it made his blood boil with a familiar anger.

“That’s awful,” Gyrus sniffed, and Kodya gave a bitter laugh.

“Yeah it was. And it made me angry, so angry it scared Mother.” He scowled down at his shoes. “And I didn’t want to scare her like he had, so for a while, I just tried to bottle everything up,” something he still struggled with, he will admit. “Then when Nephthys came, Cynthia said something about her parents and I lost it, yelling and everything. I was horrified afterwards, but Nephthys, she hugged me.” A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. “She said it was the bravest thing she’d ever seen. After that I didn’t mind being angry anymore, because I knew how to use it.”

“Is this your way of telling me to learn to control it like I would anger?” Gyrus asked.

“Kinda,” Kodya shrugged. “You did say it was powered by negative emotions, so it really comes down to control doesn’t it? Magic or not.” Gyrus gave him a lopsided smile.

“This is why you’re my human teacher,” he said, and Kodya straightened. “You put it all in perspective.”

“And don’t you forget it,” he nudged Gyrus lightly with his shoulder. Gyrus gave a slight laugh. Then he reached out a hand and causally linked it with Kodya’s. Kodya froze.

“Kodya?” Gyrus turned to pin him into place with his piercing lavender eyes. Kodya forgot how to breathe, every nerve on fire from his definitely sweating palms all the way to his rapidly darkening cheeks.

“Yeah?” He croaked out, uncertain he would be able say anything else.

“You are nothing like your father,” Gyrus said, voice low. Kodya gulped as he tried to keep his composer from breaking at those words.

“I know,” Kodya whispered. Gyrus gave a nod, caressing the back of his hand with one thumb. Kodya shivered at the touch, and wondered if you could float away from happiness. For a while they sat in silence, each in their own head, but anchored by the soft feeling of each other's hands.

Absently, Kodya remembered about the two tickets in his pocket. He gave a jolt, and Gyrus startled, letting go of his hand.

“Hey,” Kodya reached into his back pocket as he tried to pretend he didn’t already miss the warmth. “Why don’t we do something fun tonight, just the two of us?” He held up the two tickets with a flourish.

“What are those?” Gyrus stared at the two bits of paper, and Kodya grinned.

\------------ Nephthys

“She’s in league with the sorcerer!” Brenden cried, raising his spear as he charged forward.

“Desist!” Tori snarled, jumping in front of Nephthys just as Brenden hit the side of the boat. It lurched backwards, causing both Nephthys and the Queen to fall back. Only Tori wavered on the edge, before tumbling into the deep.

“Catch her!” Nephthys cried, leaping forward, forgetting the attacking siren in her panic. Tori couldn’t swim! Not while she was trapped in human legs. She wouldn’t know how to use them!

Fortunately Sylvia was listening, and dove after Tori, resurfacing with the sputtering red-head as Nephthys let out a relieved sigh. She really ought to teach the sirens how to swim in the human way. It had been the first thing the organization had taught her after all, for safety reasons as well as a misguided attempt to try and reconnect her with the sea. It hadn’t worked, but she’d taught it to Kodya anyways, or tried to, that boy was like a stone in water. If she hadn’t known he was a half-blood, she’d have been convinced he was the most human human to ever human.

“Got you,” Brendon pressed the point of his spear to her neck. Nephthys held her breath as she felt the cool stone against her skin. Her eyes narrowed as her hand slipped into her potions bag. She was not going down without a fight, and if this siren truly intended her harm, he’d learn why they had the law of hospitality in the first place.

“Brendon!” The queen snapped, and both froze. “Stop!” At the side of the boat, Sylvia snarled with Tori still in her arms.

“But she-“ Brendon started, but the queen silenced him with a look. He dropped his spear with a scowl. Nephthys’ grip on the potion in the bag eased.

“We do not know she is in league with anyone,” she said then turned to Nephthys. “Explain,” she commanded.

Nephthys pulled out a small plastic vial from her bag, containing a single brown hair, and looked the queen directly in the eye. “The ingredient that will cure you is the hair of a half-blood selkie.” Taken with permission for added potency, although Kodya had rolled his eyes when she said she wanted his old hair brush, so he probably didn’t realize what exactly she’d needed it for. “I will use it in your potion, but-“ she frowned. “-I will only give it if you promise that unless you are deliberately hurt by him, neither you nor your followers will harm him, for as long as you live.”

“And this is the price?” The Queen asked, eyebrows drawing together in thought.

“It is my price,” Nephthys replied. Technically there were a few other prices she could offer, but she would be damned if she let a siren queen know about Kodya without precautions, surprisingly open minded or not.

“I am not a hypocrite,” the Queen swished her tail. “I would not harm a half-blood child regardless. But very well. I accept this price.”

“Good,” Nephthys nodded, jerkily, wondering why the queen would call herself a hypocrite for harming a half-blood child. It probably wasn’t her business. Then again, if there was a half-blood in the area, she needed to tell the organization. At least to warn them of potential hate-crimes that could brew off the coast.

“How long will it take you to make the cure?” Tori asked, breaking Nephthys out of her thoughts.

“Just a few hours,” she reassured Tori as she pulled out her little pot from where she’d stashed it in the lunch box. “The hair needs to dissolve properly, but otherwise it's much the same as the potion I used on you.” She began to toss in the ingredients she now knew by heart, seaweed cut fine as grass, the tail of a minnow, a pinch of ground shell, nutmeg, cinnamon, chamomile, say the proper chant, so on and so forth. With careful hands, she bespelled a flame to hover below the pot, causing the sea water to boil and bubble. There. Now there was only the waiting.

“Don’t rock the boat,” she warned, “And it should mix on its own accord. It should smell delicious when it's done.” She sat crisscrossed in the boat, to see Tori and the Queen staring at her. Nephthys felt her cheeks heat.

“You are quite gifted,” the Queen said. “You have certainly earned your plates.” Nephthys straightened her shoulders.

“Speaking of plates,” she kept her voice casual. “We have yet to discuss reparations for the gross breach of hospitality your guard committed.” Silence followed her words, as the surrounding sirens didn’t dare to breath. Both Tori and the Queen tensed in the boat. Only Sylvia seemed unaffected, shrugging her shoulders as if to say, _what did you expect?_

The Queen was the first to recover, smiling primly. “Do you desire an apology?” she asked, voice smooth. Tori shot Nephthys a pleading look.

“No,” Nephthys leaned forward, and the Queen winced. “I want something more fitting. I want to know why. Why would your guard attack me, claiming I’m in league with some sorcerer?” If there was a threat to the area, she had a right to know.

\----------- Kodya

The rally was bustling with far more people than Kodya had known lived in this town. Everyone he’d ever met was here, from Oli sitting two rows away, to Ragan working security. He even caught a glimpse of Cynthia and her brother loitering at the edges, scowls on their faces. Kodya had been certain to choose a spot well away from them. Not that he didn’t think they couldn’t take them, but given Gyrus’ recent confessions, he didn’t want the sight of them to upset him.

They eased into the cheap plastic seats just as Feather wheeled Don out onto the stage. “Hola!” He cried, waving a hand at the crowd. All around them a thunderous applause, some people even stood up. Kodya looked around in surprise and Gyrus did the same, they’d no idea Don was so popular.

“Thank you, thank you,” Don motioned for everyone to sit back down. “You’re too kind. I would love to give each and everyone of you a standing ovation in return. But alas,” he slapped the side of his wheelchair. “I fear it would be more of a _sitting_ ovation, no?”

The crowd erupted into laughter as Kodya’s brow creased. Was he? He glanced at Gyrus to see his expression was equally perplexed.

“But just because I have to sit in this chair, doesn’t mean I’ll let justice _wheel_ by,” Don smiled. Kodya winced. Yep. He was definitely doing it.

“I’m here to take a _stand_ for the needs of your community!” Don finished with a flourish of his hand. The crowd erupted into more cheers, and Kodya sat numb, watching in shock. Don had filled his entire speech with _dad_ jokes.

Gyrus leaned closer, breath on Kodya’s ear, “Is this type of humor considered refined among humans?” he asked.

“Not at all,” Kodya shook his head, and Gyrus’ face split into a grin. Kodya felt his cheeks relax as he returned it. The crowd around them was roaring, but in that moment, it felt as if they were completely alone. His gaze flicked to Gyrus lips as a treacherous thought wondered if maybe…

Something smacked the back of Kodya’s head. He turned around sharply to see Cynthia crowing in a corner, her brother at her side. Gyrus scowled as Kodya bit back a curse, briefly wondering if he should confront her and risk making a scene.

Gyrus seemed to be thinking along the same lines when he said, “should we do something?” From the hesitance in his voice, Kodya knew he wasn’t offering his powers, but the fact that he was willing to do anything for Kodya warmed his heart.

“No need,” he grunted, pointing to Ragan, who was making her way to Cynthia with heavy footfalls. “This isn’t the public street. Security will take care of her.” Ragan had always been one of the very few who Cynthia couldn’t beat. She’d get rid of them no problem.

Sure enough, they watched as Ragan grabbed Cynthia’s arm and lifted her bodily over her shoulder, dragging her towards the exit as she kicked and screamed. Kodya settled back into his chair, to find Gyrus grinning.

“I think I rather like rallies,” he said with a chuckle. “Lots of excitement.”

Kodya laughed, and Gyrus turned his attention back to Don, who had made everyone laugh yet again. Kodya couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he’d said, and as the man began to drone on about policies and the environment, he found it difficult to concentrate.

He glanced at Gyrus, who seemed to be absorbing all of this with interest, no doubt fascinated to see the legal system Kodya had so badly explained in action. Kodya’s eyes drifted downwards, and settled on Gyrus’ hand, which was resting on his knee.

His hand twitched with the desire to reach out and grab it, and he gripped his own knee tighter to compensate. But then again, why couldn’t he? Gyrus had taken his hand earlier today. Why couldn’t he reach out and take Gyrus’?

Hesitantly, he lifted his hand, and slowly inched it towards Gyrus. He didn’t seem to notice, to wrapped up in whatever Don was saying now. The room filled with laughter and Gyrus shifted. Kodya pulled his hand back quickly as Gyrus shot him a raised eyebrow to say, _can you believe this guy?_

Kodya gave a gruff nod, hoping Gyrus thought he was agreeing. But soon as Gyrus attention returned to Don, he reached his hand out once again, inching it by agonizing inch closer to Gyrus. He must have hovered a full minute before he finally lowered it to tentatively cover Gyrus’s hand.

Gyrus’ skin was warm, soft, and oddly smooth, like it didn’t have any hair at all. Gyrus gave an absent hum, and Kodya nearly snatched his hand away again, but Gyrus simply threaded their fingers together, attention still on Don. A warmth filled Kodya, pleasant and comforting, that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.

The next half hour of Don’s speech passed pleasantly, with Gyrus occasionally asking Kodya for clarification on points he didn’t understand, and more often than not, having to explain them back to Kodya. The Kid really was something special when it came to making sense of all the nonsense of politics. Through it all, their hands stayed linked, and neither said a thing about it.

\----------- Nephthys

“Very well,” The Queen sighed. “It’s a simple enough request. The reason Brenden was so angry is because the sorcerer has tried twice now to kidnap my son.”

“Gyrus?” Nephthys cried, and it took all of her composer not to jump up and rock the boat out of its essential rhythm. “Someone tried to kidnap Gyrus?”

“Not just anyone,” Tori said grimly as her hands tightened into fists. “The Sorcerer himself.”

“What?” Nephthys shook her head. “But surely he’s dead! Why else would he stay quiet for four hundred years?”

“We are not sure,” The Queen sighed. “And he did not explain, since he didn’t come to us admitting his true identity. Indeed, he barely looked any different from any other siren, and the sorcerer is famous for his tentacles.”

He was also famous for his ability to control all magic, including shapeshifting. But Nephthys bit her tongue. She doubted she would have been able to tell if she’d been in the Queen’s place.

“He did say he was a sorcerer,” Tori added with an ironic half-smile. “I supposed it was his form of a joke.” Nephthys nodded. There was a world of difference between a siren or a selkie who tried potions-making like a sea witch and the monster that haunted children’s tales.

“We were desperate,” the Queen added, and Tori reached over to take her hand in her own. “And he was charismatic. So I took him at his word and trusted he would be able to break the curse that had befallen us.”

“Curse?” Nephthys prompted, and the Queen bit her lip.

“For nearly a hundred years our pod had lost fishing grounds to the humans,” she explained. “And even my voice could not persuade them to leave. I don’t know when or how we got cursed, it simply became more obvious as time went on. That was when he arrived.” She broke off and Tori gave her hand a squeeze. “He offered a solution, a trade. Little things to lift the curse. A marriage to Gyrus’ father, a thrall at midnight in the icey cold. Strange things. But they seemed to work. We gained Sylvia, whose strength was invaluable for hunting large prey. And my new husband seemed surprisingly adept at finding places to hunt the humans left alone, if he did vanish for small periods of time. So when he said that having a child would break our curse, we accepted it readily.”

The queen broke off, and Tori spoke up. “He tried to steal him one night when he was a babe. Said it was the last requirement for the curse to break. If I had been any slower, we would have lost him before he was old enough to recognize our faces.”

“That’s awful,” Nephthys murmured. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to lose a child, but she knew what it was like to lose a family very well.

“He didn’t get him,” the Queen said forcefully. “He tried, but he didn’t. We thought it was over. But then,” she grit her teeth. “Then he came again. Just a few years ago. I don’t think Gyrus fully realized what he escaped. But I did. I kept him close, but my health was deteriorating so fast I couldn’t protect him. So I sent him away on that fool's errand, in the hopes he’d be safer where the sorcerer wasn’t expecting him.”

Nephthys bit her lip. The sorcerer was active again and after Gyrus. This was huge. She needed to warn the organization, the Senator. Kodya. If he got to any of them...she shook her head.

“I am sorry,” Tori said, “I did not wish to put you in the middle of this.” Nephthys gave her a slight smile to show she understood.

But there was one thing she’d didn’t get. “Why are they after Gyrus?” She asked. Surely the sorcerer could find dozens of sirens with better control over their powers. There wasn’t any reason to single him out. Unless…

“He’s a half blood, isn’t he?” She said, and she didn’t need to see the fear growing in Tori and the Queen’s eyes to know she was right.

\---------- Kodya

“Kodya!” Anan cried, waving insistently as the crowd began to disperse. “Over here man!”

Kodya grit his teeth against the annoyance that grew as he withdrew his hand for Gyrus’ warmth to face the approaching Anan. No point in letting him notice and spread it all over town before Kodya and Gyrus got to decide whatever that hand holding meant.

“Hi Anan!” Gyrus sounded completely normal, but Kodya noticed him cradling the hand that had just been touching Kodya’s close to his chest. Kodya felt the tips of his ears heat up as Anan looked between them.

“Did I interrupt something?” He asked, and Kodya felt the heat increase. A quick glance at Gyrus revealed he was also blushing. Anan’s eyebrow rose.

“Why did you call us over?” Kodya blurted out, hoping to divert Anan’s attention.

“Oh!” Anan brightened as he ushered them out the side door. Kodya could have cried with relief at his short attention span. “I’m here to tell you two you’ve won an exclusive extra tour!” Anan shot Kodya a wink and Kodya felt his earlier reprieve wash away under a torrent of apprehension.

“A...what?” he stuttered as he nearly walked into a parked car. Only Gyrus’ timely hand on his shoulder prevented him from pitching straight into its side. Kodya righted himself, hoping against hope that what Anan was implying wasn’t what he thought it was.

“A behind-the-scenes tour!” Anan repeated, grinning like a madman. “And as a bonus, you two lucky winners get to star as extras in our campaign broadcast!” A tour and a cameo? There was no way that was a thing. Kodya shook his head as he wove around another parked car. Unless, his eyes landed on Don, just a bit ahead of them by a nondescript white van. Don waved and Kodya’s eyes narrowed. Unless a certain shady politician had decided to capitalize on Kodya’s ‘date’ once again for free labor. 

“And this is a big deal?” Gyrus asked, and Kodya held back a laugh at his inquisitive tone. He wondered if Don was close enough to hear Gyrus’ accidental burn. Or not so accidental, if the slight quirk of Gyrus’ eyebrow was anything to go by.

“Totally!” Anan nodded rapidly, unaware of the joke that passed between Kodya and Gyrus, “who doesn’t want to be in a movie? Besides,” he added with a little grin. “You haven’t even heard your part yet!”

Kodya crossed his arms as he turned to side eye Anan while Gyrus hid a grin. “And that is?”

“A loving couple of course!” Anan spread his arms wide with a big smile. Kodya felt his heart seize in his chest as he shot a panicked glance at Gyrus who’d turned into a strawberry. But at that moment, Anan’s arms spread too wide and he tumbled backwards onto the street.

Gyrus gave a cry, catching his arm, but he only succeeded in joining Anan in a pile on the black asphalt. Kodya saw the flash of headlights, and he threw himself into the street, hoping to shield Gyrus, and Anan too while he was at it.

The car screeched to a halt, and Kodya heard a familiar voice say, “Kodya?”

Kodya looked up, stomach still churning, to see him Mother step out of the car. “Mother?” he shrieked.

“Are you okay?” she cried as she hurried over to check him for injuries. As she moved closer, Kodya could see the bags under her eyes, and felt a swoop of guilt in his gut. “What were you thinking jumping in the street like that?”

“Senator Kodya’s Mom?” Anan pulled himself up from his knees, Gyrus at his side. “You nearly killed me!”

“Anan?” Kodya’s Mother’s brow furrowed as her attention swung to the two still on the asphalt. “And...oh,” face twisted into a frown as her eyes landed on Gyrus, “you.” Gyrus looked down, and Kodya scowled.

“Wait, what is going on here?” Anan’s head whipped between the three of them.

Kodya’s mother took a deep breath. “I may have overreacted yesterday,” she said, in the super professional voice that Kodya had never been able to read. “I apologize.”

“I’m sorry too,” Gyrus said, but Kodya’s mother’s attention had already left him. She turned to Kodya and crossed her arms.

“We need to talk,” she said, in a tone Kodya knew left no room to question her.

“No,” Kodya lifted his chin in defiance. “I’m going to this tour thing with Gyrus.” A strange, irrational anger boiled in his blood. His mother had interrupted yet another perfect date with Gyrus with no warning or explanation. Couldn’t she just let him live his life? He didn’t even particularly want to go on this tour. But he was tired of being left in the dark, and if she wanted him to come, she was going to need a pretty good reason to convince him.

“If it's just a few minutes, we can wait,” Anan, that traitor, offered. Kodya’s mother shot him a professional smile as Kodya glowered.

“I’m afraid it will be a bit longer than a few minutes,” she waved a hand. “It’s a family matter.” And that did get Kodya’s attention. Was she finally going to explain what the hell a half-blood was? Finding the answer was his whole reason for starting this date in the first place! A fact he’d honestly forgotten amid all the craziness of old men and secrets and dad jokes. Still...

He glanced at Gyrus, torn, but the mermaid placed a hand on his shoulder. “If you don’t have time to go to this, that’s fine, I’ll stay here and wait for you,” he offered. Warmth flooded Kodya’s heart as he gave Gyrus a small smile.

A car honked sharply, and Kodya looked up to see Ragan at the wheel of the white van. Anan yelped at the noise, and Kodya could hear Ragan’s snort from here. “You coming or not?” she yelled across the park.

Kodya sighed. “You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up.” He caught Gyrus’ hand in his own, feeling suddenly bold. “And if something important is brought up, we’ll talk about it afterwards okay?”

“Only if you want to share,” Gyrus whispered, running a thumb over the back of Kodya’s hand.

“Ehem,” Kodya’s mother coughed, and Kodya jumped. He’d forgotten everyone else was there.

“Okay!” Anan clapped his hands as he shot an anxious look behind him at Ragan. “Gyrus come with me, and I’ll text Kodya the location of the shot! If you’re not there by half an hour though, I can’t guarantee you’ll still be playing the happy couple.” He grimaced at the van. “Ragan will probably make me do it.”

“Would it help if I dyed my hair pink?” Gyrus asked wryly, and it was Anan’s turn to blush.

“I think Ragan's calling!” he cried as he turned to run back to the van.

Gyrus rolled his eyes as he let go of Kodya’s hand. “I’ll see you in a bit,” he said, a small smile on his lip. Kodya felt his own lips pull upwards in response as he watched Gyrus turn and run after Anan. He stood there for a second, as the side of the van opened and Don beckoned Gyrus inside, before turning away. Gyrus would be completely fine with Don. He was sure of it.

He squared his shoulders as he met his mother's gaze. She owed him some long overdo answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nephthys: Gyrus is a half-blood?  
> Tori: It's not what you think?  
> Nephthys: Not what I think? I've been treating him like he was a mermaid! Giving him potions! I could have killed him! The medicines are different you know!   
> Amelia (worried): Is he in danger?  
> Nephthys: (Flashes back to the time Kodya drank her entire potion bottle while still high from having his wisdom teeth removed and having to convince him he was dreaming up his new tail while he sang "under the sea" in the bathtub) You know what? I think he'll be just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Just got back from my vacation to present you with a mermaid au. Forgive me for knowing absolutely nothing about fishing.


End file.
